


A Slow Blossom

by AliceCrimson



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Mentor Severus Snape, Other, Romance, Severus Romance, Severus Snape Has a Heart, Severus Snape Lives, SeverusXOriginalFemaleCharacter, SeverusXStudent, Slytherin, Slytherin Pride, Snape's Worst Memory
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 08:26:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 37,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14565009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceCrimson/pseuds/AliceCrimson
Summary: A new female student transfers from the French Beauxbaton Academy to the prestigious school of Hogwarts. Alice Crimson, going into her sixth year, all eyes are on her. The perfect student: Two years ahead of her peers in knowledge, holds herself with high standards, even if she has a little of a temper and somewhat prefers to be alone. People recognize brains and beauty when they see them, even if she was a Slytherin. But that's when they locked eyes on peculiar circumstances. Professor Severus Snape. Immediately intrigued by his dark aura and vast knowledge, Alice wanted to learn as much as she could from the dark knight. But as these things tend to go, her heart decided to run on ahead without her.This story is about a seemingly perfect student that falls for her Potions teacher. Will she gain his admiration in return?





	1. A Rather Intriguing Way To Meet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N:
> 
> Hello! This is my first piece of writing to ever meet the eyes of strangers, so I do truly hope you'll enjoy it. This will be a slow progress of romance between the character I created and Snape, but there will be fluff/smut in the future. Given the complexity of Snape's character, I don't think rushing into such things would be an accurate interpretation of his character. Any feedback would be much appreciated, and please give me ideas for the title!! This is only a place holder of sorts, as I don't know what to call it quite yet.

 

     The steam engine horn sounded through the station, calling the students away from their parents to climb aboard. The place was filled with chatter and excitement, with a hint of anxiety from the new coming first years.

     Although, one in the midst of fresh face was not eleven, but a sixth year and at the age of seventeen. A female, by the name of Alice Crimson, who was standing out beyond measures, unbeknown to her. With brown wavy hair that fell to her waist and light brown eyes, and a great bone structure to go along with it. Alice was petite, only reaching the height of out 165 cm (5’5”), accompanied by a lanky body. She was new, but older, which caused some people to tilt their heads. But what caused most heads to turn, despite her obvious beauty, was the fact that all her luggage was floating behind her in mid air. She didn't care enough to grab a cart if someone was going to unload it only minutes later.

     The young Crimson did not have her wand out, but instead has her nose stuck deep into a book focusing on the topic of Occlumency and Legilimency. She weaved in and out of the crowd, ignoring the looks as if there weren’t paying any mind to her, going to drop off her luggage at the storage cart of the train. Without even looking up she let her items fall elegantly on the floor in front of the attendant, without letting them make any sound of a _thud_. Quite advanced in wandless magic for her age.

     “Thank you, sir. It’s much appreciated.” She spoke firmly to the man in the uniform, looking up from her book once she finished her paragraph and stuck a book marker in the page. Alice smiled warmly at him, trying to ease the edge she usually gave off with her uptight manners. “If you have any questions about my things, please don’t hesitate to find me and ask.” With that, the brown haired girl’s smile fell off her face as she spun around in place before promptly walking back towards the center of the train.

     As she glided about, Alice finally acknowledged her surroundings, observing the place as her eyes gaze went up, down and around. She locked eyes with people a few times, only giving people smiles to those who gave them to her first. The others? Who cares, they gawked at her and she didn’t have time for such silly and immature things.

     Not too long after, she found herself a barren compartment inside the red train, with no other soul inhabiting it, and sighed with a smile in relief.

     “Thank goodness…” She muttered to herself as she sat down with good posture and crossing her legs. “I don’t have to deal with pleasantries quite yet.” Crimson opened her book once more, taking out the black tassel on a string from the page, as that was her page marker. Smiling to herself, she looked out of the window and noticed they had already departed from the station, as what surrounded her were fields of bright green grass past what her eyes could see. Alice let her back finally relax against the back of her cushioned seat, as she looked out at the nature. Something she truly loved, nature, her secret release from the stress of her wonder filled world.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

     Alice was instructed by Professor McGonagall to wait on the right side of the Great Hall near the High Table, where all the instructors and professors sat during meals and events. Rather bored with the lengthy process of initiating all the first years by sorting them into the four legendary houses, she took this time to scan the room full of people. She only spent about thirty seconds looking at the vast amount of students, and instead put her energy into reading her superiors. By their body language, little quirks, and comments she could somewhat make out from time to time, she eyed all of them that she was able to see with her short height, trying to figure them out so she could later use their assets to her best interests. The girl alone in the corner suddenly chuckled to herself, thinking:

      _‘Goodness me, if that thought wasn’t a true Slytherin in a nutshell, I don’t know what is.’_

     What snapped her out of her head was the sudden loss of murmurs in the room, making her look to the center of the High Table, seeing Headmaster Dumbledore rise from his high back seat before he spoke.

     “We have one more addition to the student body of Hogwarts, however she is not a first year. Her name is Alice Crimson, and she will be a sixth year transferring from the Beauxbaton Academy of France. Please do greet her with open arms once she is sorted.” The Headmaster spoke in a gentle voice, but one that was still powerful enough to command the room.

     As if that were her cue, Alice began to make her way to sit on the stool, after bowing slightly to Dumbledore out of respect. Force of habit. Professor McGonagall placed the ragged Sorting Hat on her wavy ended hair and it grunted, almost annoyed.

     “Do I even need to think about Crimson? SLYTHERIN!” Yelled the hat rather too aggressively for Alice’s liking, for it was on top of her head and so close to her sensitive ears. She scowled as she looked up at the brim of the hat before it was lifted from the top of her tiny head. She smiled at the crowd before her, giving them eyes that almost said, _‘Don’t worry, I’m a good Slytherin’_. Crimson took a seat at the long wooden table where people were clapping the most at their new addition.

     Immediately, she was met by the older students of her house, as they bombarded her with questions that she didn’t care to answer. She could tell none of them were smart enough, or anyone of importance to waste energy on, so Alice made it clear that she didn’t care to talk, and that the book in her hand deserved more attention than them.

     “Hey, what’s your name? I’m Melissa Fisher.” Ask a girl with black hair in tight curls.

     “Didn’t you hear a word the Headmaster said?”

     “Oh…” The girl muttered off, immediately intimidated.

     “Hey, you come from that French girl academy where all the chicks are hot, right? Why don’t you meet with me in our Common Room so we can get to know each other?” A douchebag of a boy asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulder, slightly making her hair pulled under the weight of his arm. Quickly, she turned towards his face that was rather close to hers, and said in a vicious and quiet voice.

     “Have you no morals?...” Alice spat. Her eyes changed from that pretty light brown to a menacing dark red.

     “She’s right man, stop flirting with every girl you find.” One of his friends beckoned. He released her out of his grasp and her eyes changed back to their original and more normal shade.

     Crimson sighed, realizing that she wasn’t getting off to a good start, and that might affect her chances of being able to meet anyone of any potential if word got around about her personality. She decided that her previous choice was not a wise one, so in the moment, she thought up of an effortless story.

     “I truly do apologize to the both of you for my rudeness. It’s just quite an overwhelming day, with all these new situations and transitions, so I forgot my manners.” She smiled at them with an apologetic look. “My deepest apologies, I hope you can forgive me and we can start fresh.” _'I don’t have any regrets what I just said to either of you, but fine, I’ll go along with your pleasantries, only to gain ground and climb to the top of this social ladder.’_

     Suddenly, Alice could feel a tug at her consciousness, making her eyes go slightly wide in alarm. Someone was trying to read her thoughts. She darted her eyes towards the one area where anyone would even have that capability: The High Table. She found the culprit.

     They locked eyes, and both immediately putting their abilities of Occlumency to higher use, but she noticed his was up constantly.

      _‘What a drain that must be.’_ , Crimson thought. His eyes gave a look of slight surprise and interest and raised his brow, noticing she was not only had the ability of such power, but that she was able to detect him. That, he was not expecting from a sixth year, and did not prepare for it, thus, getting him caught. Alice tilted her head in curiosity, just as a cat would, and her eyes twinkled in sudden intrigue.

     A strict demeanor, raven hair, and deep black eyes. A mean face looked back at her, but she could only smile slightly from their riveting first meet.

     Snapping back to the people in front of her, she smiled at their agreement to forgive her terrible behavior. Alice decided to inquire about the mysterious professor.

     “I hate to ask, but who is the professor with black hair and black clothing?” Alice asked, her tone of voice sweet but firm. The students around her all groaned in unison.

     “That’s Professor Severus Snape; he teaches potions and is unfortunately our Head of House. He’s ruthlessly mean and merciless. Don’t do even the tiniest thing incorrect, or he’ll snap at you for it for weeks!”

     Her light brown eyes widened once more, but only slightly, as she showed a fake expression of alarm to her features. “Is that so? Well, I don’t like to toot my own horn, but I’m rather good in potions, and know how to work around personalities.”

     “Don’t be,” said the rude boy from before. He took a gulp of his Pumpkin Juice before continuing, “You’re gonna need it.”

     Alice only laughed as they all started to rant in their own conversations of past run ins with the supposed mean teacher, letting her eat in peace while reading her book, with a small smile played on her lips.

      _‘Now there’s a person worth my attention.’_


	2. A Proper Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here is the second chapter, feedback and criticism is much appreciated! As for the little facts related to the fandom, I do always double check myself, even on what you would learn in each year for each subject. If you're interested in what an Opaleye Dragon looks like, you can read this story on Quotev, too! So choose which platform you prefer to read on because it's the same title and author name on both sites. Please let me know what you think down below, and I'll upload another chapter very soon!

        Alice finished her meal in the comfort of solitude, although she let herself bask in the presence of those around her. Just as long as they didn’t drag her attention away from her self studies. That was her comfort zone: being in the presence of others, but not engaging with them. The perfect middle in her eyes. Not too isolated, but not too close to anyone, either.

        But then that’s when the banquet plates suddenly changed in a blink of an eye. What was once filled with main courses of savory dishes, were now instead filled to the brim with sweets and pastries galore. Without even a second thought, she hastily paused her reading and began filling her once again clean plate, toppling it with sugar filled desserts. Taking her first bite of a red velvet cake slice, she smiled quietly to herself with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

        Melissa looked over at her new acquaintance and watched the scene play out. With a smile and a light chuckle, she asked Alice, “I guess it’s safe to assume you really like sweet things?”        

        The question snapped Alice out of her own personal world and looked at Fisher  with a ‘Honey, you don’t even know the beginning of it,’ look.

        “It’s my drug. Can’t help it, really.” Crimson replied.

        “Do you eat like that all the time? How do you not gain so much weight?”

        Alice giggled lightly before taking a small bite of a fudge brownie. “I can thank my mother for her genetics in that aspect, but I do engage in some Muggle activities recreationally.”

        Melissa’s eyes sparkled with sudden intrigue, sliding towards Alice so she would be able to sit directly across from her instead of off to the side.

        “Really?! Like what? I mean, I thought I could just read Pure Blood all over you.”

        Alice smiled at the gentle nature of the female sitting in front of her, submissive yet positive.  _‘She would be a nice person to keep around.’_

        “Oh, I’m most definitely a Pure Blood, that’s where the family name Crimson is from. However, my parents believed I should be exposed to both the magical and Muggle world, and take the best of each world to create my own. Soon enough, I grew rather fond of their ballet and aerial.” Alice said, answering the eager girl’s questions.

        “What’s aerial? I mean, I know it means in the air, but doing what?” Melissa asked, with a frown of confusion on her face.

        Alice smiled shyly and looked down at her finished plate in embarrassment. “It’s essentially circus...esque stuff. I can do the tricks on silks and a static trapeze.” Although Alice herself loved what she did, she always felt a little silly whenever she told others about the hobby of hers.

        However, Melissa beamed with excitement, sitting up straight suddenly, rather than her usual slouching and grabbed one of Crimson’s hands.

        “Alice that’s amazing!! Can you show me some time? No! Can you teach me! That sounds like so much fun, I had no idea! There’s no need to be shy about that!” Melissa exclaimed and reassured.

        Alice was caught off guard by the sudden physical touch, looking almost stunned at this girl’s lack of self awareness. But, it was cute in it’s own way, and Alice smiled softly once more at the Melissa.

        “Let’s get into the routine of our new class schedules, then we can talk.” She replied to the pleas, but stayed firm in the aspect that academics always came first. Melissa frowned, but shrugged eventually, agreeing to the compromise.

        Dumbledore rose from his chair once more, that mere action silencing the room on it’s own.

        He spoke, “Prefects of each House will show the first years to their Common Rooms and dorms, teaching them the passwords and assigning them to their bedrooms.” Commotion began once more as the first years were let out of the Great Hall first, while annoyed prefects rounded them up like sheep.

        Through observation and basic deduction, Alice was able to guess that all Houses were separate by passcodes to enter, and people shared rooms together. That last one was something she wasn’t looking forward to. But a familiar voice snapped her out of thought.

        “Ms. Crimson, a word.”

        She looked up, and saw that the Headmaster was beckoning for her to approach him, with the other professors leaving, all except the mysterious Professor Snape. Quickly, she grabbed her book and walked towards the front of the long table with impeccable posture, that was something she was constantly aware of. While walking up the three steps towards the two men, Alice tasseled the front of her hair and pushed it back, giving her fringe a bit of a fluff, contouring her heart shaped face.

        As she did so, she said to them with a smile, “Professor Dumbledore, it’s an honor to be in your presence, and that’s not something I’m saying merely to come off as appealing. I rather hate the fake pleasantries.” The man chuckled and smiled at her bluntness, noticing that she got right to the point.

        “Well then I thank you for that compliment. This is--”

        “Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin, and Potions teacher.” Alice cut in, saving them all some time.

        The Headmaster raised a brow. “Have you two already been introduced?”

        Alice laughed and replied, “No, not officially. Only stealing glances, and then inquiring.” Her eyes flashed red for a brief moment, catching the eyes of both people before her.

        “Are you perhaps of the Crimson family that have eyes that can change to a glowing crimson?”

        “That’s me, sir. I do apologize if it confused you two, I can control it, but sometimes it happens involuntary due to intense feelings of various emotions.” She replied, smiling bashfully, even if that’s not how she felt in the slightest. She was, in fact, proud of her ability, knowing it came in hand in many situations.

        “No need to apologize. As you already know, this is Professor Snape. Severus, she passed her O.W.L.’s with Outstandings, so she will be partaking in your NEWT Potions class. If you have any questions, please regard them to him.” Said Dumbledore, smiling before he excused himself and left, leaving the two of them alone, the last of the students on their way out of the Great Hall. Alice left her gaze of the leaving Headmaster, and redirected it to the man in front of her. They both studied each other, neither one crumbling under the obviously tense air between them. They didn’t care, because it didn’t affect them like normal folks. However, the girl was the first to speak.

        “Nice to make your acquaintance, Professor. I look forward to learning from you.” Her face was no longer smiling, but instead mimicking his stern appearance. It was common knowledge by this point that he too, wasn’t one for the fake first smiles and hello’s.

        “Ms. C r i m s o n…” He replied, stretching out her name in his deep and rather husky voice.

        Her eyes flashed blood red once more, as she remembered. They both had the understanding that he tried to pry into her mind when she first arrived. Smiling mischievously, she raised her book to show him the title of it:  _Occlumency & Legilimency: The Art of Reading Minds. _Without saying anything, she smirked playfully before turning away from him and walking towards the large doors.

        “I think this will be a wonderful year, Professor.”

        Snape’s lines between his eyebrows deepened as he glared at the brunette girl who was walking away. The fact that she had such audacity to act that way towards him, to gloat of her abilities with not one ounce of shame. That she played around him, trying to entice him into her mind games. Fuming slightly, Severus turned around sharply, his large cape billowing behind him from the motion as he left out the teacher’s exit of the Great Hall.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        It was sunrise, and Alice realized the reason why she was up to early was because her insomnia decided to be relentless today, just like most of her days. Rolling her eyes, she quietly slipped from the warmth of her comforter, and began to shiver. Her jaw tensed subconsciously as she made her way to her red leather suitcase, quietly clicking it open. From it, she pulled out a linen light grey bomber jacket and pulled it on, grabbing a different book from the day before:  _The Dark Arts._ She put a silencing charm on the door without muttering a word, so that she didn’t have to take a full minute slowly opening it and closing it to make sure it didn’t disturb her fellow roommates. Closing the brown wooden door behind her, Alice made her way down the stone steps to the Common Room and sat herself on the deep green rug in front of the fireplace. She hummed to herself from the comfort of the radiating heat, and opened her book as she got into a straddle position and began to stretch whilst reading. Crimson enjoyed the solitude she was receiving from the world, as she both enjoyed this time and cherished it.

        Not too long later, Alice looked at the clock on top of the black mantle, seeing it was now eight, an hour and a half since she woke.  She decided that she should begin to get ready for classes that day, and to not overstretch her joints so early in the morning. She was able to hear the arrival of some Slytherin boys, and almost hissed internally at their disruption of her peace. A stern look came to her features as she slightly slammed her book shut in one hand, and sat up coming from her little hiding place, as she was shielded from sight by the jet black furniture. By the sudden announcement of her presence, the boys looked to her, surprised someone was there.

        One called out, “Whoa you scared us, new girl! Do you want to hang out with us since you’re up?”

        “Hardly.” She spat while she passed them to go back to her dorm room.

        Ah, her “work mode”. Once Alice understood that it was time to focus on her studies and schooling, she grew very serious. She didn’t necessarily care if she came off rude or intimidating, she wasn’t there to please others, she was there to learn. Without a second thought, she went up the stairs that led back to her room and got herself dressed and freshened up. Melissa subsequently was one of her three roommates, and was already awake, groggily brushing her hair.

        “Morning Alice…” Yawned Melissa.

        “Morning.” Replied Alice rather curtly.

        “Let’s go to breakfast together, yeah?”

        “I don’t really eat breakfast, but thank you for the offer.” Crimson responded with a slight smile, actually appreciative of the fact that Melissa had her in mind.

        “I heard today is pancakes~.” Cooed Fisher in a sing song.

        Alice’s ears perked up from the sound of that. A sweet breakfast. She most definitely could go for a dose of sugar right now. She smiled viciously at Melissa and they both laughed and went off together and made their way towards the Great Hall with their supplies in hand for the day ahead of them.

        While eating what Alice considered liquid gold, Melissa became curious. “Hey, what classes are you taking this year for NEWT level classes?”

        Without saying anything, Alice pulled out her daily schedule that she had written out for reference, to make sure she didn’t have a chance to make a fool out of herself. It had read:

_Alice Crimson’s Class Schedule:_

_Transfiguration_

_Charms_

_Defense Against The Dark Arts_

_Care of Magical Creatures_

_Potions_

 

        Her new friend read it over and smiled widely once she looked up. “Alice we have almost all the same classes!”

        Alice raised her brows and further asked, “Really? Well, I suppose we’re going to have to like each other no matter what since we’re stuck together 24/7. What is the class we do not have in common?”

        Melissa laughed at the comment and answered, “Care of Magical Creatures. I can’t control most of the beasts Hagrid throws at us. They’re too scary. And my parents insisted that I take Potions, even though that was the last thing on the planet I wanted to do!”

        Alice’s eyes flashed red for a quick moment, wondering in excitement just what sort of mystical creatures she would be able to meet here. She recalled back at Beauxbaton Academy, she was the only student who had any courage to face a liger, or many of the big creatures they came across in their classes. And now she was wondering just what was waiting in store for her here.

        “What was that?” Melissa asked, a little frightened.

        “What was what?” Alice asked in return, puzzled.

        “Your eyes, I swore I just saw them glow!” Melissa explained, feeling as though she was going crazy. Alice only laughed at the expression laid out on her face.

        “Apologies for scaring you. I come from the Crimson family, so our eyes glow  _crimson._ That’s where the name came from. Most of the time it’s involuntary, out of bursts of emotion, but we can make it come and go as we please. See?” Alice began to turn off the red glow of her eyes back and forth, brown and red, then brown then red.

        “Alright, alright, I get it! Just stop for now, it’s kinda freaking me out.” Melissa chuckled lightly before going back to eating.

        Hushed whispers fell about the Slytherin table, as they all discussed one topic: Alice Crimson, the new girl. Words and rumors spread about, but one thing was clear, she was extremely smart but just as intimidating. Although, no one knew for sure, so everyone decided on their own to watch how she did on her first day. She even caught the eyes of the two Professors she met the previous evening.

        “She reminds me a lot of you, Severus.” Said Dumbledore, leaning towards his left to speak to the potions master.

        “I hardly agree with you…” Replied Snape coldly.

        “So there’s a small part of you that does see the resemblance?” Teased the Headmaster.

        Snape paused and glared at the man with the long white beard, before turning his gaze back to the student in question. “Perhaps…” His voice was bitter, as he didn’t seem to very much like her. That she could be like him, but so unlike him simultaneously. Smart, head and shoulders above the rest. But...likable by some. The fact that he had worked so hard to get where he currently was, and the fact that she got there twice as fast. It made him twist in slight angst towards her. Was this...jealousy from Severus? He shook away the thought, thinking it was rather ridiculous. He was still ahead of her, so why should it matter?

        “It’s too early to tell.” Snape continued, cutting the conversation short before he went back to eating in his own silence.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Alice began to learn how to bend the rules to her likings and weave through loopholes as best she could. Although in Transfigurations class she already knew how to do the spell they were instructed to work on and instead began to read her Dark Arts book, but this displeased Professor McGonagall.

        “Ms. Crimson, please do try to look as though you are working.” Said the Professor, lightly scolding the girl. Melissa, who sat next to her, only now realized that Alice didn’t even have her wand out.

        With a small smirk to herself, she closed her book, and let her wand slip out from inside her sleeve. Without saying the incantations, she did what was expected of them an hour later in mere seconds with no trouble whatsoever. Her actions were sharp and precise, but also held elegance and femininity.  

        “I do believe that is what you want from us for today, correct?” Asked Crimson. She received a classic look that McGonagall often gave, her surprised expression with raised brows.

        “Twenty points to Slytherin.” She replied promptly, “But if you’re not going to work on the task, I do want you working on something related to the subject that’s taught in this classroom.”

        “Of course, ma’am, I understand.” Reluctantly, Alice slid her Dark Arts book into her bag and pulled out more advanced reading of Transfiguration, instead. She learned, however, that with Professor Flitwick and her D.A.D.A. teacher, they were more forgiving towards her lack of attention, as they saw her capabilities exceed each of their requests.

        All that was left were her two favorite subjects. Alice bid Melissa farewell as they separated after lunch, and made her way past the school’s lake, and towards a rather tall man. Hagrid, the gamekeeper and Keeper of Keys, and now the school’s teacher in the subject of Magical Creatures. That was when her ultimate dream came true.

        Hagrid led them into the Forbidden Forest, and towards an opening where there were no trees. That’s where she laid eyes on one of her favorite creatures: A bloody dragon. Alice eyes widen in awe of the beauty before her. White, pearly scales that shined in the small rays of light that made their way through the trees. Beautiful eyes that sparkled like an opal, hence the name. As every other student kept a rather far distance, only she and Hagrid were ones that were a little more daring. Without thinking, alice grabbed her sides and laughed in excitement, almost maniacally, as her eyes glowed brightly.

        “An Antipodean Opaleye dragon…” She muttered to herself after calming down.

        Hagrid looked down at the rather short Slytherin next to him, and surprised she knew what breed this was. “That’s right! Ten points to Slytherin. Now, she’s not full grown yet, only half way there, but she’s still five meters long and just as tall. Beauty, ain’t she?” He looked over to the rest of the class, who were pale faced and far away. “Oh don’t worry about yerself! She’s really friendly, I raised her. Come closer, class. Her name is Nyah”

        Alice forgot where she was, and lost sight of her manners. She dropped her dreams in an almost dream like state, and approached the fantastic creature before her without the consent of the half giant. The female dragon eyed her briefly, and Alice bowed her head to show that she meant no harm. Almost as a sign of approval, the dragon laid down and propped herself up on her elbows, watching the young girl come even closer. Hagrid tried to protest, but noticed that the student took all the necessary precautions without him evening telling them that information.

        Crimson’s eyes were bright red with excitement as she reached her arm up, asking if she could pet her scaley muzzle. The antipodean leaned her head down for Alice to touch, and after a few strokes, Alice couldn’t contain herself and hugged the dragon. Everyone gasped in fear, but the dragon only rubbed the top of her snout against Alice’s body affectionately.

        “She likes you!” Exclaimed Hagrid, and everyone slowly clapped, unsure of whether to be impressed or dearly afraid.

        Not too long from then, it was time for her final class: Potions. With a wide grin on her face because of her new mystical friend, she went towards the dungeons of the castle and met with Melissa just outside of Professor Snape’s classroom.

        “You look as though you’re in love.” Melissa teased.

        “Oh I am, but not in the way you are probably assuming. Come, I’ll explain after class.” Alice beckoned for Melissa to follow her into the rather dark classroom, as all students had a nervous plastered looks to their faces; except Alice, of course. Even Melissa looked a little worried, but she had faith in herself. Alice put her hand on top of Melissa’s and gave her a soft smile for the first time, being gentle in her actions to reassure her not to worry.

        As soon as Crimson and Fisher finished setting out their supplies for this class, the door slammed closed as a black figure was followed by his floor length cape. Menacingly, he stood in front of the class, crossing his arms as he scanned the room.

        “Congratulations on making it into my NEWT class, although I must say that s o m e of you, do not deserve to be in this room at this moment.” Snape paused, glaring at a few of the more frightened students in the class before continuing. “Follow the instructions on the board to make the Draught of Living Death. You have o n e  h o u r. Begin, now.” He dragged out.

        Although Alice already knew how to make this draught, she scanned the board of notes and instructions to make sure she didn’t forget anything from the past.  _‘Wait a moment…’_ Alice thought to herself, as she noticed slight differences in his instructions compared to all of the books she has ever read. Use 13 Sopophorous beans instead of twelve, to crush them and not to cut, and to add one clockwise turn of the brew after the normal seven counter clockwise. However, given the kind of man her Professor was, she trusted that these special instructions were most likely to better the concoction. And to work she got. People observed the interactions between the two girls, realizing that Crimson wasn’t all that evil as she appeared.

        Every once in a while, Melissa would whisper questions to Alice, either to double check that she was correct herself, or if she was just flat out confused. Later, just as time had run out, Alice had finished fifteen minutes prior, and decided to use the extra time to clean her desk and potion making supplies. Snape moved about the room, the entire time, having a dark and mean energy follow him as he eyed the work of her peers. The Professor leaned over her cauldron and looked down at the liquid. It was immaculate.

        “Ten points to Slytherin for a passable draught.” He commented before barking out to the rest of the class. “Time is up. Collect your work into a bottle and set it on the front of my desk i m m e d i a t e l y.” Most of the class sighed and groaned, as no one came even close to finishing, need perhaps about another hour or so. Melissa did finish, but it still needed some work.

        Alice however, was not satisfied by his weak praise. She whispered to Melissa, “Passable?” She frowned in disagreement.

        “Are you kidding? In Snape language, that means you were perfect. He’s ruthless, remember?” Melissa responded, hiding her face behind her black cauldron in fear of the Professor before them. Alice scoffed at the fact Severus couldn’t even give out a compliment, when she knew she earned it, but she didn’t keep it in her mind for long.

        “You’re dismissed.  _Leave._ ” Said the man dressed in all black, glaring at each student as they left. Alice was the last to exit, but before she touched the door, she heard the low voice of his behind her. “Ms. Crimson, a moment.”

        Alice smiled to herself before closing the door in front of her and turning around with a curious expression.

        “Yes, Professor?”


	3. Confrontations Of Many Sorts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Third day of writing, third chapter! This is where they begin to connect. I believe with the complexity of Snape, that details of his thought processes and personality should not be left out. Please let me know how I'm depicting him; whether or no it's good, or anything I could improve upon. Thank you, and enjoy!

        Alice stepped towards Severus with confidence he doesn’t see with most students who approach him. They’re usually terrified and frightened, but here stood a girl with boldness and a smile. Someone is bloody smiling at him.

        “Tell me, how were you able to complete the task correctly on your  _first_ attempt?” Snape inquired, standing with his arms folded again, almost glaring down at her.

        “Because that was not the first time I’ve made this draught. I believe the first time I decided to make this was three years ago, although very slow, I was able to complete it. From then, I merely practiced so my process would be faster and more efficient. However, I noticed something about today’s lesson.” She responded.

        Snape gave her a half interested expression, not responding.

        “I noticed, Professor, that the instructions you gave were slightly different than any other book I’ve studied from. And that today’s draught came out better than any other I’ve made in the past. Did you...perfect the steps on making these potions?” Alice was perceptive and rather aware of her surroundings, so this would have never gone unnoticed.

        Snape never outright answered her question in return, and instead turned towards the front of the room where his dark brown wooden desk stood and said, “It seems as though you won’t be a complete waste of my time, Ms. Crimson. You may go.” However, Alice didn’t make a single move for the exit, and never made a sound, and instead waited. Almost annoyed, Snape looked up again and inquired, “Is there something else, Crimson?”

        “Will you teach me?” She asked plainly, almost as if it should have been expected.

        “Teach you  _what_ , exactly?” Snape asked back, squinting his eyes at her, implying that she was irritating him and that she should leave his classroom.

        “To better perfect Occlumency and Legilimency. I may be good, but not good enough to fully defend myself against anyone strong. The only reason I was able to detect you was because you assumed I was another ignorant simpleton, so you didn’t pull out all the stops to go undetected or to put up a fight from me resisting you. I’m sure if you did, you would have no problem getting into my mind. And not to be rude, Professor, but I just absolutely  _cannot_ let that happen with anyone.” Alice elaborated, her eyes flashing red once more once she spoke her last sentence, almost out of desperation.

        Snape rose a single eyebrow, wondering what exactly she meant by that last point. Just what exactly is this child trying to hide? Just some silly gossip or secrets? Although, Crimson didn’t seem the type to engage in that sort of behavior. It just had to be something darker. Perhaps he could use this to his advantage to make her become submissive to him like the rest of her peers.

        “And what exactly would I be gaining  _if_  I were to help you?” Snape said slowly, in his usual low voice, still trying to get her under his power.

        “I could help you correct assignments, if you’d like.”

        Snape hissed back coldly, “I do not need help from the likes of  _you_ , Ms. Crimson.”

        That one slightly pressed her buttons, as she knew she wasn’t just anyone, and that he was just trying to insult her, “I never bloody said you did, it was just a kind offer.”

        “Watch that mouth of yours, Crimson. Besides, I don’t have to teach you anything on the subject, as it’s not taught in the school curriculum.” Snape barked back, still attempting to command her.

        Alice bit back, standing her ground, “Then don’t insult talent when you see it. If you don’t want to teach me that, then just give me your material so I can see how you perfected other potions and elixirs.”

        Snape couldn’t believe who he was talking to. A short girl who thought she ruled the damn place. Some Purebloods think they’re royalty sometimes, and this was one of them, he thought. Here she was, boasting her tail off, and demanding that he take time out of  _his_ day to teach  _her,_ and just give her information that he took years to gain, hours of trial and error. He wasn’t about to just give it to some child who thought she deserved it.

        “No! You will learn at the same pace as your peers, not matter how mighty you may  _think_ you are.” Snape was relentless, indeed, and was growing more and more angry the longer Alice stayed in his room.

        Alice stood there for a brief moment, taken aback. He thought...she was showing off? That couldn’t be farther from the truth. She couldn’t give a care in the world if people thought she was the best or the worst at magic, she only wanted to gain every ounce of knowledge she could get her hands on. If people inquired about her prowess, what Slytherin wouldn’t get a little proud they more they talked? She was human, for goodness’ sake. Though there was one thing she couldn’t leave: Being misunderstood.

        The girl in the green robes calmed down and explained in a gentle yet firm voice, “Professor Snape, I do apologize if that is the impression I gave off to you, but you actually couldn’t be farther from the truth, and as a proud Slytherin, I’m almost offended. Please do not think of me as someone who has the boasting characteristics that most Gryffindors I know have. I come here to learn, and that’s it. I don’t have time for gossip, or silly drama. I came to you because I saw just how amazing of a wizard you are, and merely wanted to learn under you. I’m truly sorry for the misunderstanding, and I shall now leave, excuse me.” She bowed her head slightly, and turned on her heel to leave, Severus saying nothing in return as Alice went towards the Great Hall for supper.  
 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        “YOU WHAT?” Yelled Melissa, almost spitting out her Pumpkin Juice and spraying it everywhere.

        “Goodness me, calm down, it’s not the end of the world.” Alice scolded slightly, trying to get her companion to quiet down, as they were suddenly getting a lot of stares from her sudden outburst.

        Realizing why Alice was trying to get to keep quiet, she decided to whisper yell. “But you just went up to a freakin’ dragon and pet it like a  _dog_?!” The girl in question almost shivered at the mention of the last word, as Alice did not like dogs whatsoever.

        “Cats. Please use cats, I prefer cats.”

        Melissa rolled her eyes, “Fine, a cat, whatever. What’s next? You’re going to ride it?”

        “Does he actually let us? Oh Lord, please tell me you’re not just teasing.” Alice begged, her eyes glimmering with excitement.

        "I don’t know, but you’re obviously a special case at this school in every subject they throw at you, so he just might. Hagrid is pretty sweet and easy to persuade, and I think you have the head to pull it off.” Replied Melissa, eating and looking down at her plate as she did.

        “Oh, I love that you’re a Slytherin, too.” Alice sighed, loving the way her friend thought, knowing she could trust her a little more now is that was Fisher’s mindset.

        They both giggled together, finishing their meal and heading back to the green and black Common Room that was theirs.

        Meanwhile, Severus was in his private office, sitting at his chair as he corrected some first years work from that day’s first lesson. He had decided to skip dinner as he had no appetite. However, he was not able to properly focus as his thoughts were elsewhere. He thought over what transpired between him and Alice after class. He couldn’t believe that he let his resentment fog his sight and truly see what was her objective, although that didn’t make him dislike her any less. He set his quill down and folded his hands under his chin, thinking of what to do about his new student. Should he help her? But what would he gain in return for going out of his way? She had offered to help him with various tasks, but he wasn’t about to accept help from anyone. Should he give her assignments that he usually give those who were serving detention? His lips couldn’t help but curl up slightly at the thought of punishing her for the mere enjoyment of seeing her miserable. Wait...Why was he so adamant on disliking her? She was for once a student who was competent, a Slytherin, someone who knew their place but wasn’t a weakling, who craves power and knowledge as he once did. Was it perhaps Dumbledore was right? That she was quite similar to him in ways? Grunting in frustration, he got up from his chair, making his way towards the Great Hall.

        What he found there, however, was not something he was expecting. Opening the two large doors of the room, he stumbled across quite a scene, and he paused in his steps at the doorway.

        “Just who do you bloody think you are?!” Cried out a female Gryffindor, standing behind Alice, who was busy reading her book, adamantly trying to ignore the girl in the red robes.

        “I think I’m Alice Crimson, a Slytherin in her sixth year. Is there an issue with being here and breathing?” Alice responded, not looking away from her book, her voice icy and threatening.

        “No you don’t, you think you’re some amazing girl because you come from the pretty school from France. You’re the worst! You go about the school, acting as if you’re better by not listening to the teachers because you already know  _everything,_ right? What, you think you’re some mighty Slytherin Pureblood, don’t you?” The girl was fuming with rage, standing a foot behind Alice, fists curled up into balls at her sides.

        “No, I don’t know everything, but I intend to get as close as I possibly can.” Alice replied coolly, almost trying to taunt the girl into doing something worse.

_‘If I make an example out of her now, other low lives like her will get off my back and stop wasting my time.’_

        “Flipendo!” Yelled the girl, jumping back as she aimed her wand at Alice, trying to use the jinx that would trip Alice onto her behind. Crimson eyes glowed bright. Quickly, Crimson twisted around in her seat and deflected the jinx with an unspoken deflection charm. Without a second thought, she made her move in return.

        “Expelliarmus…” Hissed Alice, standing up from her seat now, flicking the girl’s wand away from her hand with ease. “Everte Statum!” She spoke louder this time, as the spell threw the unknown girl across the room, hitting the wall with a thud across the entire hall, before the girl slid down to the floor, knocked unconscious on impact.

        Snape only stood there for a brief moment, as he uncharacteristically let the scene play out. Was he perhaps further curious of her abilities? Ignoring this thread of thought, he quickly walked towards the knocked out Gryffindor, checking her status to make sure she wasn’t internally bleeding, or worse. Madam Pomfrey hurried to her side, talking with Snape in a hushed voice before she used her wand to make the student float behind her so she wouldn’t have to carry her.

        Hushed whispers fell over the room as Alice stood there, looking neutral in her expression, despite what she just did, and her eyes returning back to their normal light brown shade. Melissa only shoved her face into the palms of her hands, shaking her head as if  _this_ was the end of the world for Alice, now.  
“Her  _wand,_ Ms. Crimson.” Demanded Severus from across the room, standing where the girl was once limp. Not even fazed, Alice used the same Levitation Charm as Madam Pomfrey, and whisked the wand across the hall at such a high pace, going straight for the Professor’s face. They were both confident, however, in Snape’s ability to catch it before it hit him, and that he did. He handed it to the school nurse, and barked at Alice, his voice raised, but never yelling.

        “My office  _now,_ Crimson.” Melissa looked at Alice in fright, knowing that if her punishment was coming for Snape, all of hell was doomed. The Slytherin in trouble, however, only winked at her friend before exiting the Great Hall, every pair of eyes on her, and every voice silent. Flicking her wand once more, she slammed the doors shut behind her, and the room full of students went into mayhem with talk. Some were terrified, some were in awe, others merely were trying to get info as to why it even started. This, of course, started a heated debate between all Slytherins and Gryffindors as to who started it and what exactly transpired.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Once both Alice and Snape entered through his classroom and into a smaller dark room which was his private office, he slammed the door shut behind her with magic.

        “What were you thinking, Crimson?” Scolded the Professor with aggression in his voice. “As you must be aware of, unofficial duels on the campus of Hogwarts is strictly prohibited!”

        “I understand that, Professor Snape, and I’ll take whatever repercussions that I deserve, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make.” Explained Alice calmly, once again unfazed by Snape’s commanding energy.

        “ _Sacrifice_?” Asked Snape, pulling out the word as if he were trying to intimidate her once again.

        “You see,” Alice began, taking a seat in front of his desk and crossing her legs. She folded her hands in her lap as she looked down for a brief moment, sighing, before she looked up again and met the man’s eyes once again. He had his hands on his desks as he slightly leaned over it, looking down at her with an angry expression. “I know people like her are always going to be in my life. Those who are intimidated by my presence, my power, and those who react by being jealous and being a bully. If I had took it lying down, others like her would follow in suit, and thus a string of never ending torment would begin once more. I decided the best course of action for my interest was to snip this in the bud, so that to insure that others wouldn’t try to do the same. I understood that in choosing this course of action, I would get into trouble, but again, that was the sacrifice I was willing to make.”

        Snape frowned at her, wanting to protest at the fact she sat down before him without his permission, but something she said took his attention away from that. Something she accidentally let slip.

        “Once m o r e...Ms. Crimson?” He asked, inferring for her to further explain those two words.

_‘Bloody hell.’_ Alice thought to herself. She didn’t think of her sentence as she forgot who she was dealing with, someone who was just as attentive as her. Of course he would have noticed a detail such as that. It was now Alice’s turn to frown at herself, realizing her mistake. She took a deep sigh.

        “Yes, Professor, once more. Back at the French Beauxbaton Academy, girls there did not like that I was the Headmaster’s favorite, or the fact that I had a natural strong power in magic. Those first two years, where I had very little knowledge under my belt, where not memories I’m fond of. With where I am now, I couldn’t let it happen again, as who knows what my temper would have done later on, if I had let this build up.” Alice smirked menacingly at even the thought of what she would have liked to do to people like the Gryffindor girl if she had persisted with silly attempts of harassment.

        Severus continued to stand there, listening to Alice’s explanation of her side of the story, as the lines between his brows deepened. Oh, how he could relate to the ends of the world of her experience. That damn Potter and his friends, day after day of relentless teasing and making a fool out of him. As he relayed these memories, he took a sharp but silent breath, one that Alice did not detect. They were absolutely dreadful thoughts, and he didn’t want to ponder on them anymore in her presence.

        “Detention every night, starting now.” He commanded, and she nodded respectfully, standing up, ready to receive her assignment.

        “Yes Professor,” She replied professionally. “Uhm, until when, exactly?” She asked, only curious of this end date.

        Professor Snape glared at her, “Until  _I_ say so, Ms. Crimson.”

        Alice shrugged her shoulder, thinking  _‘fair enough’_ , and that she wasn’t really in the position to complain or demand answers. This somewhat pleased Snape, seeing that what she said about herself earlier was true, she did know her place when it came to superiors.

        “And what is it you would like me to do for tonight, Professor?” She asked, ready for anything he would throw at her.

        With a small smirk playing on his lips, he replied, “Clean all the cauldrons by hand,  _no_ magic.” Typically this is when students would begin to groan, look shocked, or begin to protest, but Crimson did none of these things. She only nodded and left his office and into the classroom where all of them were.

        Severus sat down in his chair with a deep sigh, as he remembered he needed to continue correctly papers, his door only slightly open so he could hear to make sure Alice wasn't indeed not using magic to ease the strain of the punishment. That, however, was not needed.

        In came the Pureblood once again, two cauldrons and the cleaning supplies floating behind her and setting them to the side of the room, a room that had walls covered in vials and bottles.

        “And  _what_ are you doing now, Ms. Crimson?” He asked, annoyed that she barged in.

        “Well, before I finished each cauldron I want to run it by you to make sure it meets your standards before moving onto the next. I imagined going back and forth between your office and the classroom would be a hindrance time wise, so I decided to do my work in here. Although, I didn’t want to take up so much space in here, so I thought two cauldrons at a time would be adequate.” Alice explained, almost smiling at her thought process, thinking it was an smart way to get this done.

        “Fine.” Groaned Severus, as he couldn’t deny that she got around the fact that most times he liked to torture those in trouble by making them do the cauldrons all over again.

        “Thank you, Professor.” She said nicely, giving him a small smile as she made her way to the side of his office, sitting on her knees on the grey stone floor. Snape was confused at her politeness, more especially her thanking him. For what? A grueling punishment? He decided not to reply to the odd girl, as she began scrubbing the pitch black cauldrons from all of his classes that day.

        Alice was quiet during her work, not grunting from the manual work, or sighing in frustration. Not a single sound came from her as she took her repercussions well. The room was completely quiet besides her scrubbing and his quill correcting the papers of that day’s classwork. Neither of them said anything for about half an hour, until Alice broke the silence.

        “Is this good enough, Professor Snape?” She asked, lifting herself and the first  cauldron off the floor and approaching him, moving it in various ways to show him all sides of the bowl, inside and out.

        Inspecting every little detail, Snape was surprised by his answer. “Actually, yes. I must say I did not expect that from a Pureblood, Ms. Crimson.”

        Alice laughed softly and explained, “Well, I always loved cleaning, even before I knew how to wield magic. My parents let me explore the Muggle world, and I found out that this is how they clean every day, so I followed suit. Even after receiving my wand, I still insisted at times to clean by hand, as it helps me relax.”

        Snape listened to her small backstory of reasoning, before quickly replying, “That’s enough chatter, onto the next.”

        “Of course, my apologies.” Alice bowed her head out of habit once again, and returned to her little corner on the floor, and began to clean the second one that was already there. Snape mulled over her apology, realizing that she was indeed, well-mannered.

        After a few minutes of more silence, he muttered, “Accepted…” Alice perked up at sound of his low voice, and lifted her head to look up at him, pausing her work. He wasn’t looking back at her, but instead down at another first year’s classwork, refusing to make eye contact with her. Understanding what the word meant, Alice only smiled at the fact that he returned her kindness.

        She worked away at the cauldrons, now knowing what standard the Professor had for them from her example, and continued to clean them two by two. After about another hour or so of silence, Severus began to organize the papers off to the side of his desk, and from what Alice assumed was his supply room, he brought out his own personal cauldron and various supplies. Alice didn’t stop cleaning, but stole glances from time to time, curious as to what the Potions master was going to make. She couldn’t help but be a little nosey, as he was the best in potion making she had ever met.

        Alice decided to try her chances again with talking to him, “What is it you plan to make, Professor?” She asked, her voice much more relaxed than when she was in classes, or earlier. It was more quiet and feminine, gentle and kind sounding. Of course, she did say cleaning relaxed her.

        “Pepperup Potions. A request from Madam Pomfrey.” He replied flatly.

        “Ah, yes, I heard the flu was going around already.” Alice replied, nodding her head in understandment. “I assume that means you need to make quite a few batches then, no?” Alice asked.

        She’s not an idiot, why does she have to ask such an obvious question? “What do you think?” He asked in return, not as gentle as her, in fact, not at all.

        “Well I only asked so that I could offer to help you.” She said in return. Although her voice was soft, it didn’t mean her personality did too.

        “As I stated earlier today, Ms. Crimson, I do not need your help.” He said, making his voice more firm. Alice was grateful he didn’t insult her again by adding ‘from the likes of you’.

        “Of course you don’t need my help, I never said you did, you  _are_ the Potions master for a reason. The process time, however, is quite long, and I think it wouldn’t be good for your health to not get enough rest just to make potions all night long.” Alice explain, showing her concern. That concern, however, surprised the teacher more than anything had in many many years. She was...worried for his health? She continued, “So my offer was more of not that you were inadequate to make the potion, but more to offer another set of capable hands.”

        Snape looked up from his desk for the first time throughout all of this, and studied her expression. Was she actually telling the truth? Was she genuinely concerned about him, regardless of the impression he typically gives off to people, one that frightens them, or makes them glare at him in anger of his ways? He studied her in silence for quite some time, trying to read her before resuming his preparations. Moreover, he has never met someone who actually wanted to stay around him more than they had to. She was quite a puzzling person to him.

        “Do you  _actually know_ how to make it?” Alice only gave out a giggle, giving him a face of,  _‘Do you even need to ask?’._ Severus nodded and continued, “Once you have finished cleaning all the cauldrons and I’m not halfway done, you may.”

        Alice’s face lit up at his answer, smiling softly, “Really?”

        “Do you not have ears?” He asked in return insultingly.

        Ignoring his rude comment, she continued cleaning and replied, “I’ll be done in twenty minutes, this is my last one.” Snape was surprised that she was already near completion, as it had only been two hours since she began, but he didn’t feel the need to check her work, he trusted that she too, had high standards. Alice hurried out of the room with the cleaning supplies and one of the cauldrons, leaving one behind to use before she came back in, walking quickly. “Uhm…” She began.

        "The supplies are in that room on your right.  _Not the left side._ ” He instructed, emphasizing the last sentence. Alice glanced over to the black door on the left side of the door, and she could only assume that was the door to his private room. Still smiling, she went into the correct room, which was a wall covered bottom to top with various ingredients, anything you might possibly need for any potion imaginable. Grabbing what she needed in the correct quantities, Alice closed the door behind her, gently, with a kick of her foot. She wasted no time in her preparations, speeding through the weighing and counting of ingredients, trying to catch up to where the master was.

        They worked together but separate, quietly, close to in unison and not speaking. But for once, Alice noticed, Severus didn’t have an aggressive energy towards her. It didn’t feel like he was out to get her anymore. Alice smiled at the thought, and decided to make conversation with him once again.

        “What other subjects do you fancy?”

        “Excuse me?”

        “Well, you are the potions master, and you know Occlumency, something you must be quite powerful to even attempt. What other subjects are you interested in?” Crimson further explained.

        Snape was silent for a moment, wondering if he should even answer her question, or simply reject her by telling her to focus. He decided on a different route all together. “Why must you know?”

        Alice looked at him, reaching the part of the process where you had to wait for thirty minutes and let it brew. “I don’t, I thought since we were together that I should make conversation with you. If you don’t want to reveal anything that’s fine--”

        The professor cut her off, “I also prefer Defense Against the Dark Arts, and the Dark Arts itself.” He added in the last fact, curious to see how she would react. But once again, Alice had the exact opposite reaction to what he presumed she would have.

        She was calm and merely replied, “I do too, they’re quite fascinating, aren’t they?”

        Snape was slow to reply back, “Indeed…” A very different girl from the rest. As much as he didn’t want to admit it yet, she was quite similar to him in many aspects. A bullied past, brilliance, a stern demeanor when it came to work, and unafraid of the Dark Arts, or anything considered ‘evil’, in the magical world. In fact, she was curious of the subject, just as he once used to be.

        She continued on with the conversation, “How did you learn Occlumency, Professor?”

        This time, he didn’t hesitate on answering, although his answer was short. “I taught myself.”

        “Oh? Just as I am right now? How interesting. How were you able to become skilled without anyone to use it against? If you didn’t have a teacher, or someone more better to practice against?”

        “I just practiced on a number of unsuspecting minds; some weak, some strong.”

        “That’s quite impressive!” Alice praised, “I couldn’t do that, I want to find someone I can trust in case they overpower me. That’s why I’ve never attempted against anyone who may be stronger.”

        Severus gave her a side glance, listening to her speak. If she wanted someone she could trust, why did she ask him to teach her? How did she know she could trust him? Him! The menacing potions teacher, feared or hated by every student? And she gave him a compliment, too? Baffled as he began to clean up the extra supplies that accumulated between the two of them, he brewed over his thoughts.

        But Alice stopped him, “It’s alright, Professor, I’ll clean up. Why don’t you sit down and relax?”

        Once again, she baffled him! And Severus just could not take it anymore. “Why are  _you_ concerned about me?”

        Alice looked up, as it was her turn to have a confused look on her face. “Because I respect those who have amazing talent and brilliance. People who are nitwits, absolutely anger and repulse me. I mean, it’s just so easy to do potions, you just follow instructions! They mess up because they don’t have basic self awareness, and miss something. I don’t care if I don’t know someone, or don’t like their personality, if they’re smart, they deserve respect, as long as they give it in return.”

        She went to clean up the ingredients, but he protested. “You cleaned those cauldrons, I think you’ve done enough for today.”

        “But you had to deal with idiots all day. In my opinion, that’s far worse. Now sit, Professor Snape.” She retorted slyly, smirking at him at she already began to gather the extras to return to the supply room. Alice pondered over his statement, and noticed that him insisting she not clean because she had cleaned with her hands earlier, was rather uncharacteristic of him. She assumed he liked to torture students, as that day she noticed the small smile he gave whenever he deducted house points, or gave someone extra homework. To care for the well being of a student? But perhaps he was only returning her respect, as she had just explained. The thought was nice, and Alice assumed there was more behind that hard exterior than met the eye.

        Just like her spirit animal and her Patronus, Alice became a fox. Sneaky and mischievous, as the mysterious man who was her Professor, intrigued her. She had decided:

        She was going to get to know more about him, whether he noticed it or not.

        Both sat across from each other, waiting for the potions to finish brewing, both in thoughts of their own. Both confused by each other’s actions and personalities.

_‘Just what kind of person are you?’_ They both thought in unison.


	4. Because You’re Different

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Oh my goodness! A fourth chapter in less than 12 hours! I'm just eager to finally get to the romance, so I'm just trying to get them to warm up to each other finally, but with a slight strife between them. I forgot to imply in my writing, when in the original HP story this takes place. This is nine years after Voldemort's downfall, two years before Harry's arrival to Hogwarts. His arrival lines up with her scheduled time of graduation. I will be lacing Alice into the story that the notorious JK Rowling already laid out. I would be going into detail, and more just cutting to the scenes where she is involved, and you readers can fill in the rest of the original HP plot. Please enjoy!

        Alice was able to sleep well that night, as she was rather tired from all the events that took place the day before, despite the fact it was her first day. Melissa woke up her new friend five minutes before Alice’s alarm clock went off, by sitting on the right side of her bed and yelling.

        “Good morning, Alice!! Time to get uuuup!” Melissa was happy and cheery, eager to start the day. Crimson, however, could not be more different from her chipper friend. Opening her eyes and squinting, she looked up to see who had the nerve to disturb her, especially after her demonstration last night.

        “Of course you just had to be a morning person…of course there had to be something about you...” Groaned Alice, turning on her stomach and facing away from her fellow Slytherin.

        “Uh oh, don’t tell me someone is a grumpy pants in the mornings~” Asked Melissa. And right she was.

        Alice sat up quickly and threw her pillow in her friend’s face, yelling. “OF COURSE I AM. LOOK AT YOUR SURROUNDINGS AND MAKE A SIMPLE DEDUCTION. GOODNESS!” She grunted in utter annoyance as she climbed out of the security of her bed and opened the curtains of her bed posts and slipped out, getting out on the side Melissa wasn’t sitting on. She indeed, was not a morning person at all, a time where her temper was more likely to lash out. Melissa was frightened by her friend that usually was tolerant of her, and decided that she should never do that again, unless she had a death wish.

        Furrowing her eyebrows throughout the whole process, Alice made her bed, did her morning stretches, got dressed, and tamed her lion like hair. After doing all of that and washing her face to ensure she kept her face staying as pretty as it could be, she left Slytherin Common Room. Making her way to the Great Hall, for once she was actually hungry for breakfast. The room was half filled, and as she walked by her peers, eyes followed. Too upset about the fact she was up so early to care, she took a seat alone and ate a slice of toast grumpily, still slightly frowning. She opened her book on Legilimency to slowly warm up to the world, hissing threatening things to those who stared at her for too long in her peripheral.

        Not too long after, Melissa joined her and sat in front of her again, but didn’t speak. They both sat in silence for ten minutes, before Alice closed her book and looked up.

        “I’m sorry, Melissa.”

        “You’ve woken up, now?” Asked Fisher.

        “Yes, but you’ll have to get used to this; if I don’t wake up from insomnia and have some time to wake up and have my alone time, I’m just the worst version of myself until I warm up to the fact that I’m surrounded by others and they’re not going anywhere. I hope this is okay…” Alice trailed off, uncertain of how Melissa was going to reply.

        She smiled and nodded in approval, “It’s okay, we’re all human, and all have our little things that we do. I’ll just know to let you come to me in the mornings when you’re ready.”

        “Yes, let’s go with that idea. Thank you for putting up with my tedious quirk.” Alice replied, smiling and letting out her breath which she didn’t notice she was even holding.

        Later on, both girls went throughout their first two classes, Transfiguration and Charms without too much of a hassle, besides a boy in Professor McGonagall’s class accidentally turning a cup into a frog instead of a bird. Alice couldn’t help but quietly laugh like mad, Melissa only trying to calm her friend down before she got caught, and went on giggling quietly for a good two minutes straight. Melissa gave up on Alice and rolled her eyes, deciding that if she got caught, then that’s that. But sneaky Alice never did, as the Professor was distracted on helping the Hufflepuff boy.

        And in Charms class, Alice gained points once again for her House by being able to execute a perfect Patronus.

        “Expecto Patronum…” Whispered Crimson, closing her eyes as she envisioned a secret memory she held dear to herself. When she opened her lids, she could see a blue fox made of light, running around the room before disappearing out the door.

        “Twenty points to Slytherin! Very well done, Ms. Crimson.” Praised Professor Flitwick.

        Nodding her head in the direction of the teacher, she replied, “Thank you, Professor.”

        Behind her, however, a Gryffindor boy whispered to his friend, “That makes sense. A fox in human skin, causing mischief in our school.” The friend quietly replied, “A bloody snake would have better fit her, she had no House points taken away from last night’s ordeal, just detention!”

        That made Alice jump into another fit of laughter, grabbing her left side of her waist with the opposite hand, and covering her mouth with her left hand.  _‘Oh, they wouldn’t be talking like that if they dueled me themselves. Oh what I could do to them!’_

        As they sat together for lunch, Melissa was sitting with a thoughtful look on her face. “Alice...you know there’s a lot of rumors going around about you. Especially after what happened yesterday. And a lot of them are obviously not true...are you okay with people believing them?”

        Crimson couldn’t help but smile at her worried friend, appreciative that she cared about her image more than she did herself. “Thank you for your concern, dear, but I’m perfectly fine with what they say. That’s why I’ve been laughing all day, so far.”

        Melissa did notice that, and decided to ask her about it. “Yeah, why do you laugh when they say terrible things about you that are false?”

        “Because I can better read into people’s actions than the average person. Most people only look on the surface and see a bully, but I don’t. I see someone who is intimidated, scared, and full of self-doubt in their own powers. Instead, what they decide to do, is deflect those true and vulnerable feelings, and create a rough outer shell to protect themselves. They merely feel threatened by me, and to me, that’s good.”

        Melissa sat there, looking at her friend in such awe.  _‘She’s a lot smarter than she lets on. She only ever demonstrates it whenever a teacher requests it, now that I think about it…’_

        “Wait a sec. It’s good that they feel threatened?” She asked, rather confused as to why that would be a good thing.

        “Oh, very much so, yes. If they’re threatened, they’ll do one of two things. They will either try to challenge me, like the girl from last night, and fail. OR they will stay away. If they stay away, I won’t have to pretend I like them and waste my energy.”

        Although Alice was serious, it was Melissa’s turn to break out into a short laugh, “You are really something, you know that, Alice?”

        “I do hope you mean that in an endearing way.” Hoped Alice.

        “It is, don’t worry.” She smiled.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        In her Magical Creatures class, Alice got to meet a lovely Hippogriff, who was only just born. Since this creature was a little less on the intimidating side, people were less afraid to approach the tiny thing.

        “Don’t worry,” Alice reassured them with a sweet smile, “Give him five years or so, and he’ll be just as tall as you at the shoulder.” Her smile was an obvious lie, as she slightly teased her classmates about yesterday’s mystical animal.

        Alice spent the last half of her classes in a certain amount of boredom as they droned on. She already knew information on Hippogriffs, and today in Professor Snape’s class, they began to make Draught of Peace.  _That_ was definitely something Alice did not have to practice, let alone even make. It was a draught that when taken, would calm the taker right now; like a quick fix for anxiety. Almost annoyed at the fact that her time was being wasted, Alice pulled out a smile vile from her bag, and stood up from her seat. It screeched against the floor, making every head turn in the room, even the dark Professor. Ignoring them, Alice came around her table and went towards Severus, almost slamming down the glass tube without breaking it. With an irritated sigh, she went back to her desk next to Melissa and sat down, promptly taking out her  _Dark Arts_ book once again, a book, however that the Professor hasn’t seen her read before.

        She was done with the potion before the even began.  _‘How boring.’_ The man looked down at his desk, where she set the draught, and then stared at her for a brief moment. He didn’t say anything a first, as what puzzled him more was why she already had this liquid for anxiety? And on her person, too?

        Taking the glass and inspecting it for accuracy, the Professor called out, “Thirty points to Slytherin.” Many of the Gryffindors in the class looked up with their jaws dropped, wondering how the strict teacher would ever give out that many points at once. Alice only smirked to herself, and gave Severus a sly expression of amusement. As she read quietly, he lurked around the room like a predator, scaring some of the softer students in the room, as they cowered like prey.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        He dismissed the class, and Alice stayed behind, waiting for the last student to leave and close the door before she asked, “What am I doing for today, Professor?”

        “I’m not sure if you have eyes, Ms. Crimson, but right now is dinner.” His voice was cold still, but less demeaning towards her compared to yesterday’s tone.

        She scoffed slightly at his weak insult, “I do, Professor, don’t worry about me. I’m simply not hungry and would like to start now instead of wasting my time.”

        Severus stared at the girl in front of him, eyeing her. Knowing that he himself would also not be eating this evening, he rolled his eyes slightly. “You are going to clean the supply room and organize the ingredients alphabetically. N o magic.  _Go._ ”

        Once again without complaining, Alice made her way towards his private office, and slipped in through the door and made her way towards the supply room as instructed. Severus stayed in the larger room, his classroom, and gathered the potions that were on his desk, grading them one by one. He could hear the clanking of glass, and knew that she was following his orders.

        About an hour or so later, the Professor entered his office with a pile of papers to grade once again, and Alice listened to the quiet sounds of his arrival, and felt his presence close.

        “What sort of hobbies do you have, Professor?” She asked out of the blue, breaking the silence just as she did the previous day.

        Almost annoyed, he snapped at her, “Why must you be so adamant on knowing things about me?”

        Alice sighed and made her way down the ladder, coming out from the room and facing Snape. She had taken off her House robes and vest sweater, left in her polo blouse, dark grey skirt, and tights. Before he could even begin to criticize her, she explained, “I’m moving around a lot this time, and I faint rather easily. I assumed putting up with me not in a complete uniform would be less of a hindrance than an unconscious student in your office.” Half of her frame was still hiding behind the door she came from, as the other half was peeking out from behind. Her right hand was on the edge of the door, and her left was on the outside handle. She continued on, answering his previous question, “Because you’re...different, I suppose. I know that I’m a curious little thing, and because of my detention, we will be spending quite some time with each other. I just wanted to get to know you. You’re harder to read than the rest, hard to figure out. No one knows much about you besides the fact that on the outside, you’re terribly ruthless and strict, and that as much as they don’t want to admit it, you’re absolutely brilliant. And I find that someone like that is...well, interesting.”

        Severus sat there at his desk, listening to her explain her motives, and saw that this time she was again, telling the truth. There was honesty in her eyes, and not the slightest hint of any ulterior motives. Why him? Just because she couldn’t figure him out? There was a reason he was unknown, it was because he made sure he was that way. He didn’t want people knowing him, he wanted them to stay away. He furrowed his eyebrows and frowned at the girl in front of him, thinking she was being rather intrusive.

        “I’m not here to be your friend, Crimson. Go and play with those of your own age.” He spat at her defensively.

        She smiled at his reply and said in return, “You don’t have to be my friend..” She laughed, covering up how she truly felt with a light step in her voice. “But I want to surround myself with people I admire, who I think are worth something.” Alice explained. “Besides, you’re only what? Ten years older than me?”

        “Nine.” He corrected.

 _‘Admire...me?...’_ Severus thought, completely dumbfounded at the words she spoke. She wasn’t judgemental at first appearances, and instead was fair to each person with their chances of her ideas of them. He couldn’t believe that someone, the first person since Lily, isn’t afraid of him and doesn’t hate him. A pang shot through Severus’ chest at the thought of his lost love, and how she was now no longer on this Earth with him. He shook away the thought, as he had to keep his guard up in front of Alice.

        Not only did she mention that she wanted someone she could trust to teach her Occlumency, and asks him of all people, but here she was, essentially wanting to be his friend. And if not that, then at least know who he was. Why him? Why another Lily?

 _No._ She was not Lily, this was the only thing she had in common with her: Kindness. That doesn’t mean she  _is_  Lily. Alice was sly and mischievous, and just like any other Slytherin, out to save her own neck. By now, the lines in his forehead were even deeper while he got lost in thought.

        “Why is it you want to learn Occlumency?” He demanded, wanting to know her reasons and objectives. If she wanted to know things about him, she was going to have to give up information about herself.

        It was Alice’s turned to frown, as she looked down, unable to make eye contact with Snape at this moment. “That’s...something I cannot say.” She muttered.

        “Then I will not teach you.” He threatened.

        Alice looked confused and asked, “I thought you weren’t going to teach me in the first place, Professor. Don’t tell me you were going to give me special treatment.” She teased.

        “Don’t flatter yourself, Crimson. Everything is for a price.” He said sharply, not enjoying her jokes one bit. “Back to work, no more talking.”

        Alice reluctantly obliged, knowing that he wasn't going to budge anymore. She went back to work in silence, accepting the fact that he wasn't going to open up to anyone. Smiling to herself, she decided to take another approach.

        “I like reading and dancing.” She said, her voice raised so he could hear her clearly due to being in different rooms.

        “Excuse me?” He asked, his voice low in tone, but not raised, he didn't care if she heard him clearly.

        “Well you don't want to talk about yourself, which is perfectly alright, so I thought I should instead talk about myself.” Alice said, smiling to herself, happy she found a loophole.

        “Did I not instruct you to not talk?” Severus asked, his voice stern as he grew slightly irritated.

        “Oh you most certainly did, Professor, but I thought that if you weren't interested, you could zone me out if you wished.”

        He rolled his eyes, thinking she was too persistent for his liking. “That I will do.” Despite trying to discourage her, she still decided to talk aloud.

        She droned on about how the reading aspect about her must have been rather obvious at this point, but that no one at this school besides Melissa Fisher knew about her fondness for dancing. “I enjoy ballet the most, but ballroom is also quite enjoyable.” She continued, explaining the basic history about ballet, and her fascination of the Victorian Era of the Muggle world. “I mean, the fashion was just absolutely gorgeous! Outside of school, I do wear clothing inspired by that time in history.”

        Snape had said he would simply ignore her, and planned to continue correcting various works from his students, but he found himself intently listening to her. He believed being curious was completely out of the question, and instead thought he was merely collecting information on her to use in the future. Of course, he was simply denying himself, whether he knew it or not.

        She explained how her parents let her have the best of both the magical world and the Muggle world, and a certain comment she made caught his ear.

        “What is this thing called aerial?” He inquired.

        Alice was unfazed by this question, as that was the first thing people typically asked. She was, however, surprised by his question. “I thought you were going to ignore me.” She stated all matter of fact like.

        “Are you going to explain or not?” He grumbled.

        Smiling, Alice came out from the large and high ceiling closet, smiling in mischief, hiding half her body once again. “Do you know much about the Muggle world?”

        “I know enough.”

        “If that's the case, then you must know that they have this thing called a circus. Those people who do tricks on the ribbons and trapeze? That's what aerial is, more or less.”

        Snape raised his brows at her and questioned, “You know how to do that? I would assume without any magical help that would require a lot of strength.” He doubted her, now observing her build, and that she lacked it, a lanky girl with long legs.

        She laughed, out of genuine amusement and replied, “I may not look like it with my skinny arms, but I am strong enough to do that sort of thing, or put up a fight.” Alice didn't take offense, as she was aware of what she looked like, and it was only normal to assume she was only naturally skinny, with zero strength whatsoever.

        “Are you any good?” He asked, further questioning.

        Alice looked at her Professor with a somewhat confused look, surprised that he was curious even more so. “Well I wouldn't talk about it unless I was decent. I'm not as good as those who do it as a profession in the non magical world, but I think I can execute a number of things well enough, I believe.”

        Severus simply nodded and looked back down at his students’ work. After a long pause of silence, with Alice still standing in the doorway, he decided to speak. “So you read, dance, and do circus tricks?”

        Alice gave him a pouting look, “Well, when you put it like that, they sound stupid.”

        “They’re only half silly.” He responded quickly, not looking up at her. She scoffed lightly and rolled her eyes, and closing the door behind her with one hand, the other holding her robes and sweater vest.

        “I think that’s the closest thing to a compliment I’ve ever gotten from you.”

        He smirked, and replied smartly, “And that’s the closest you’ll ever get, Ms. Crimson.”

        She shrugged with a smile playing on her lips, sitting down in a chair across from him and in front of his desk. “I’ll take it, and you can call me Alice, if you wish.”

        Snape looked up at her while replying firmly, “I don’t think that would be professional or appropriate, you of all people should know that.”

        “Ms. Crimson is just too stuffy, too formal. But, as you wish, Professor. You can begin to call me by my first name whenever you feel comfortable. Would you like some tea?” She offered, flicking her wand and in a few short moments, her tea set came floating in, along with a tin filled with loose tea leaves.

        “And what exactly do you think you are doing, Crimson?” He asked sharply.

        “I’m making tea, that’s why I asked you if you would like some.” She replied calmly, pouring out the steaming water into a tea cup that sat in its saucer.

        “I’m not  _blind,_ my question is why you are making it here in  _my_ office?” He asked, getting a little irritated once again with the peculiar girl.

        Unfazed by his annoyance, she began to pour his cup without even asking him for confirmation. “Because you seemed especially tense today, and this tea is calming one. Chamomile and lavender. There’s also honey here, if you’d like to sweeten it up. Lord knows I do.”

        “Hogwarts knows you do.” He stated, grabbing his tea cup with reluctance, taking it as it was. He didn’t drink it, however, but instead just kept it in his lap and stared down at the light colored liquid.

        “Isn’t it beautiful?” She asked out of the blue.

        “What is?” He asked, somewhat bored.

        “This tea set.” She answered, now looking down at her own cup of tea as she poured the sticky honey into her tea, slowly stirring it to blend. “The green is a forest green, one of my favorite colors, and the gold accents are real gold pieces. This whole set was my very first that I ever received. I just thought it was so simple but so beautiful.”

        Severus didn’t reply, but instead lifted his cup to examine the sides of it, and it was indeed tasteful. “This is also from the Victorian Era, is it not?”

        Alice looked up at him with a smile of surprise. “Good eye. Indeed it is. A Victorian Rockingham, in fact” They both quietly sipped at the tea, sitting in each other’s presence. Alice decided to take this quiet time to observe all the objects in the room around her. It was a dark room, with only a few candles burning about the room to give light, and the sun gone for the day didn’t shine into the window, but instead the silver light from the moon lightly shined in. Bottles full of various liquids filled the shelves around the room, including countless books of different subjects and topics. If he wouldn’t talk about himself, his room would secretly give up some aspects about them. Then, feeling rather daring, she decided she would try to push a button or two.

        “Do you know about Death Eaters, Professor Snape?” She asked, her voice sweet, but was dripping with poison.

        Quickly looking up at her, he glared, hearing the razor underneath the facade. “Yes, why do you ask?”

        “Are you one of them? Or at least, was one of them, before His downfall nine years ago?” She asked, treading on thin ice.

        Memories of that horrid night flashed before him like a torturous movie that he couldn’t look away from. He could remember holding his dear one’s body, a body that was slowing growing cold as he cried hot tears. The thought that he was not able to protect her was one of his worst regrets that he held deep down in his heart. Wincing, he looked at Alice with a plastered straight face. “Why would you assume I was?”

        “There are rumors that roam around this school about our  _beloved_ mystery teacher.” She teased, smirking devilishly, her eyes once again a bright shade of red. Her emotion? Pure mischief, and how excited it made her feel.

        “No, I never was, and never will be.” He responded, slamming his tea cup onto the table that separated them.  
    Alice shook her head as she made the sound, “Tsk tsk tsk...don’t think you can fool me, Professor. You have no idea who I am…” She responded, eyeing him with a smirk, acting as if she knew something.

        Snape sat there, and began to fume. Here was this insubordinate student who one day says she worries for him and wants to get to know him, and now instead is trying to pry her way into his dark past. What audacity!

        “Oh, I’m only teasing! I believe your word. I was only curious to see if the whispers were true or false.”

        Inwardly, Severus gave a deep sigh of relief. She was good, too good; she just had to have a sixth sense of some sort. He began to wonder if it was dangerous to keep her around.

        “Although, here’s a tip, Professor…” She began slyly, “To trick your prey, you need them to believe that you know something. It makes them nervous, inevitably leading to them making a  _terrible_ mistake. Trick them so that they didn’t even know they were playing a game with you until they have been defeated.” Her words were wise, indeed, but vicious and evil. Her mind was full of ways to deceive those she could take advantage. The girl before Snape was the complete embodiment of the Slytherin House.

        “As if I didn’t already know that.” He replied, regaining his composure from the anger that had occurred inside of him briefly.

        “Again, never said you didn’t. Thought such ideas would be fun to discuss with someone like you. Besides, it did look as if you were about to trip up at my question. Are you sure you never were?”

        “Enough about this matter, Crimson. Finish up your tea and get out.” He hissed, growing irritated at the fact that he had someone in his life that was his equal. Even though he grew annoyed by being surrounded by idiots all day, with only a select few worth his time, being around an intelligent Slytherin was most definitely a double edged sword, one he wasn’t in the mood to play around with.

        As though she read his mind, she commented coolly, “How odd, I thought you would enjoy the company of someone competent. Nay, close to your equal.” She took the words out of his mouth.

        “I don’t like games, Crimson.” He replied, getting up from his chair and cleaning up his desk.

        “Oh I know you don’t like them. I know you  _love_ them. Aren’t you tired of being surrounded by unchallenging people? Don’t you want an opponent you can mess with, without there being any damage on either side? Just for fun?” She asked, obviously a little desperate for him to become her new match.

        “I’m not here to play games, unlike you.” He spat.

        “I play games when I have free time, don’t think for one moment that I let it affect my work.” She replied, her voice harsh in return. “I can tell just how bored you are on a day to day basis, don’t lie to me.”

        “I happen to like my life just fine, Crimson. Now get out of my office.” He said, flicking his hand in her direction to dismiss.

        “No you don’t, you’re dying inside, and you’re looking for an escape. I’m not an imbecile. I can read you, even if only a little. I’m not blind. I just--” Alice halted in the middle of her sentence, holding her tongue. Without wasting time, she moved her wand, sending her tea set rushing out of the room. She however, was slow in her movements, quietly getting up from her chair and making her way towards the door of his private and dark office. She stepped out, her hand still on the inside handle, where he could still see her sleeve of her forearm. Quietly, with a little discouragement, she finished. “I just...wanted to help you. Or be your friend? I don’t really know myself. You’re different, and I was interested. I apologize for infringing, I thought you would have been at the very least, flattered. But was not the case...I’ll keep my distance as you wish.”

        Without saying anything more, her arm disappeared and the door closed with a click. Snape stood there, standing straight, and staring at the door in front of her. Someone wanted to be close to him? But he was rude, why did she want to be near him, or spend more time with him than she had to?  _‘She only wants a game, nothing more. She’s just trying to trick you with her sweetness.’_

        Meanwhile, Alice left the room, crossing her arms just under where her rib cage ended. What the hell had she just said? That she wanted to be bloody friends with the rude potions master? Why did he have to be her friend? Was she just that desperate for validation from her superior. Or was she...just that lonely? And finding someone in the world that was like her, made her hopeful. But this is someone that’s just like her, and if that was the personality she was dealing with, she knew better than anyone that she wouldn’t just be friends with someone that came out of nowhere. Shaking her head at her disapproval of her own impulse, and stupid confession, she slumped into her bed, full of self hatred. She was still confused of what she meant exactly, or what even her own objective was on the matter.

        “Stupid Alice…” She muttered to herself, closing her eyes to sleep.


	5. You Might Be Worth Something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello again! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Please comment your opinions! What you like about it so I can continue to keep it in mind, maybe something you think I should change. Thoughts and opinions are welcome here, don't be shy! Also, can you guess what my little scene change markers are and what they mean? Thought it would be a fun game to see who could figure it out!!

        The next week comes and goes, and Alice is still kicking herself over her interaction with the Professor. She’s constantly spacing out from being lost in thought, and the frequency of her reading has come almost to a complete stop. No one saw her as a book worm anymore, but instead a daydreamer now.  _‘Oh if only I were dreaming, then this would all be just one big nightmare.’_ She thought to herself.

        The sixth year student also became more and more impatient, the more she kept thinking about her embarrassing ordeal. Her temper came out more often than not when her peers tried to ask her for help on their homework or studying for tests.

        “It’s so easy!!” She snapped at her fellow Slytherins in the common room, causing some witnesses nearby to turn and see what the exclamation is about. “Just read the bloody book over and over again until you have it down, why do you need me for that? Aren’t you a part of our damn House? You’re supposed to be intelligent! Ugh, I’m just constantly surrounded by imbeciles!” Alice stormed off to the library, hoping to have some peace by herself in a corner.

        Crimson had begun to sleep and eat so much less than she used to, which was already not a large proportion to begin with, except for sweets, of course. She was still beautiful, but her face was dull and almost sunken. Melissa gravely worried over this, constantly trying to get her to eat anything besides almost pure desserts.  
“Please, at least a few bites. Look! It’s such a tiny portion.” Melissa begged, scooping the tiniest bit of mashed potatoes on Alice’s plate, figuring out earlier that Alice really like them.

        “I told you, Melissa, I’m not hungry. Please don’t waste food by putting it on my plate.” Alice protested.

        “Then don’t waste it by not eating it.”

        Alice retorted smart and quickly, “I did not make the action to serve myself this, so the blame will not be on me.”

        Her interactions were even more terrible with Snape. Following Severus’ usual demeanor, she was quiet and focused. She never once again peeped another word to him besides ‘Orders?’ and ‘Good night, Professor’. But it didn’t mean her mind was empty.

        In fact, it was spinning downwards in thoughts, all of them getting progressively worse. She first needed to process exactly what she got herself into with that horrible display.  _‘How sickening.’_ Alice thought and mocked herself,  _‘I just want to be your friend because I’m lonely, meh. Please accept me, Professor!’_ Rolling her eyes in disgust from herself. After kicking herself enough, Alice needed to track down the reason why she decided to be so invasive and choose her bloody teacher of all people to become friends with. It wasn’t news that Alice preferred the company of people older than her, but she was more annoyed with the way she went about it. She was pushy and unprofessional, and almost sounded desperate. For what? His attention? His knowledge? His validation or approval of her? She could have gotten through to him by being professional and uptight, mimicking his manner.

_‘But that’s not you…’_ Murmured a soft and comforting voice in her head. It was true, and she couldn’t lie to herself. Alice had struggled greatly in the past for trying to be anything but herself: Too adult, too infantile, too recluse, too aggressive. She was constantly out of balance and untrue, so she made sure she wouldn’t do it again with Snape. The choices that she made that night in his office, those, although embarrassing, were true to her character, and she needed to accept herself. Sighing in frustration, she continued on with the second week, still serving silent and tense detentions with the Professor in question.

        Snape himself was also thinking of their last conversation rather often.  _‘You’re different, and I was interested.’_ Her voice and that sentenced ringed in his head over and over, like a broken record. Not nearly as focused on the way she went about it, like Alice was, he was more contemplating on the words she spoke and what their meanings might have been.

        He was different. Yes, he agreed. He was dark, menacing, cold, and truly quite intelligent. But why did she like any of that enough to want to get close to him. Let alone, the fact that she outright said she wanted to be his friend. His thoughts went in the same loop: She said that. Why to me? Why did she say that? Why did she want to be close to me of all people? There has to be an ulterior motive. But, there was honestly in her voice. In a constant circle he went, never complaining about her silence towards him, and her bored compliance in his classes.

        In fact, in all of her classes, she had lost her usual feist, and instead was just more solemn and irritable. Was she actually that depressed or bothered by all of this. But Alice knew what it was.

        It was the shame. The fact that she did something immature, the fact that she told him her true feelings. She realized what she was saying only after the words spilled out of her mouth. That she became vulnerable to a potential threat. A stupid move.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        A full month went by since Alice’s first day, and she progressively got worse, no matter how much she fought it. She was dozing off in class from the lack of sleep, and constantly crashing from only intaking sugary sweets. Alice was still serving detention with the teacher she was ashamed to face, but her tasks became more easy to accomplish. Perhaps he could notice her decline in health and didn’t want to push her? That wasn’t a very ‘Snape’ thing to do, she thought, and dismissed the idea, and settled with the conclusion that he was just running out of things for her to do.

        On her way back to her Common Room from his private office, it was ten in the evening, past curfew for her. Alice decided that since she had the excuse of detention at her disposal, she chose to stay out in the hall and enjoy the nighttime air and silver light that the moon shined on down. Going up a few flights from the dungeons to be in the courtyard, she rested her forearms on a cold stone ledge that looked out and over the school grounds. Below her laid the lake, Hagrid’s home, and the Forbidden Forest. Her mind wandered aimlessly from one topic to another, not really anything in particular or of importance.

        Alice took a deep breath in and held it for a moment, before breathing out slowly.  _‘Oh no.’_ She thought. Bad idea.

        The moment she went without oxygen was enough to set off a fainting spell on her weak body, as she grabbed the edge of a stone square pillar nearby, trying to keep standing up and regain her balance. But it only got worse. Her head began to buzz, as the sound of her breath in her ears began to intensify. Her vision was slowly growing black as the grip that kept her up was growing weaker by the second. Her knees buckled and fell under themselves and then--

        Black.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Professor McGonagall stormed into Snape’s office without knocking, her face looking very worried and shaken. Before Snape could even begin to protest her rudeness, she spoke with haste.

        “Severus, come quickly, it’s one of your House students.”

        “Which one?” He inquired, only half serious to see if it was someone worth his worry, like the teacher before him gave so freely.

        “It’s Ms. Crimson.” Snape’s eyes gave away the shock and urgency he now, too, felt.

        Storming into the Hospital Wing, Severus slammed the two ceiling high doors, not caring if he woke up other students who were currently sleeping. Half whispering with his low voice while he passed Madam Pomfrey, he demanded, “Where is she?” He didn’t stop for an answer, and saw Dumbledore standing by one of the first beds in the room. With a mean purpose in his stride, he walked towards the Headmaster and once again quietly demanded, “What happened?”

        Whispering in a soft calm voice, the man with the white beard explained. “It seems that Alice was not in her Common Room after curfew, and instead was in the Courtyard. A prefect out on duty from the Gryffindor House, was checking to make sure no students were out, which is when he found Ms. Crimson collapsed on the ground.”

        At this point, the Head of House for Gryffindor, along with Madam Pomfrey, joined the two men, all at Alice’s beside.

        “The cause?” Snape inquired, which Pomfrey had an answer for.

        “It seems she wasn’t eating or sleeping enough, but that part alone couldn’t have done this. The other part has to be psychological, some sort of stress or worry, or something to be bothering her.”

        “Severus, did you notice anything that could have caused this or showed signs that this was happening?” Asked McGonagall.

        He stood there for a brief moment in thought, wondering what it could have been?  _‘Idiot!’_ He thought to himself. This all slowly went downhill after her little confession of interest in his character. She must have been stressed and thinking about it constantly, so much that she no longer had an appetite. He also recalled Fisher whispering in his class with Crimson:

 

_“Alice, you really haven’t been sleeping a lot, haven’t you? You go to bed last and are the first one to wake. You’re smart, can’t you brew the Draught of Peace?”_

_“I already had a stash of the draught to begin with, but I already used them all up. I have to wait until our Winter Break to be able to go out into Hogsmeade and buy ingredients.”_

_“Can you actually wait until then? You’re getting worse every single day.”_

_“It’s not that long from now, I’ll be able to hold out.”_

 

        “No.” He replied flatly, not disclosing the information he knew. He looked down at her form, and saw that her breath was shaky, even in her sleep. Her face was not peaceful like it should have been, but instead creased from the expression of a frown. He continued before storming out, “Tell me when she wakes.”

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        It was a full three days until Alice had awoken, and during that time, Madam Pomfrey had to drop liquids into her mouth so she wouldn’t fall into malnutrition. It was just before lunch when she did.

        It was too bright for Alice all at once, so she squinted her eyes from the sun rays coming in from the cathedral windows. She looked around, trying to gather her bearings. She was in the hospital, but she didn’t know why. She was wearing her black nightgown, which she also doesn’t remember wearing either.

        Then it all hit her like a train wreck. Memories of her last moments of consciousness, she could recall what happened before she fainted, and now put the pieces of how she ended up where she was.

        “You were unconscious for three full days, sweetheart. Your body is weak from it, so don’t push yourself to recover today, you’ll probably need a few more to get back on your feet.” Said Madam Pomfrey, noticing that Alice was stirring a few minutes prior.

        “But I--” Alice began.

        However, she was interrupted by the slamming of doors opening. Snape began to walk towards her, and Alice’s eyes grew wide that he was there, she wasn’t ready to face him after being such a weakling.

        “That was rather fast, Severus.” Commented Pomfrey.

        “I want a moment alone with Ms. Crimson.” He asked, but the sound of his voice made it sound as though it was a demand. Knowing his nature, she sighed and left them to be alone. He pulled a cushion armchair near where she laid, and sat down in it. Although less harsh than his tone with the school nurse, his voice was still firm and a little sharp as he asked, “What happened?”

        “I needed time away from people, which in a school you’re not allowed to leave, so I decided to use the ‘Oh I had detention just now’ excuse to be able to get away for five minutes. Recently, I’ve been too overwhelmed with thoughts and stress, that my physical health declined. That night, I fainted while I was alone.”

        Snape was silent for a long moment, taking it all in as Alice had filled in some of the details. This time, his voice was less harsh. “Why didn’t you come here before this? Or have your parents sign the paper to let you into Hogsmeade to make more of the Draught of Peace?” He paused in hesitancy before asking his final question. “Or come to me to make it for you?...”

        Alice looked absolutely shocked at the fact the the notoriously mean Professor was offering to help her, instead of Pomfrey having to request the Potions on the behalf of the students. But he hit a soft spot.

        Looking to her left and away from him, her face became empty from emotion, “My parents are dead.”

        “And no ex--”

        “And no extended family.” Alice cut in, answering him before he even finished his question.

        After a brief pause, he asked another question. “Did you even think you were going to make it until the break?”

        Coming back from her bitter memories of her deceased parents, she pouted slightly with a frown and looked at Severus. “I only had two more weeks left until then, if I hadn’t taken that deep sigh, then I wouldn’t be here right now.”

        “No,” Severus said, his voice slowly getting angry, “You would have still ended up here, but even worse, if you didn’t faint that night. Why didn’t you tell anyone, Crimson.”

        “Because I’m not going to ask anyone for help! I don’t need their help.” She bit back, getting angry too, as he pressed on another issue of hers. Asking for help.

        Realizing why and putting the pieces together quickly, Severus was able to see why she wouldn’t ask for help. She was alone and hurt, and she couldn’t appear weak in front of anyone. Didn’t want to have to rely on anyone. She wanted to prove herself. He was so much like himself.

        They sat there in silence together for a minute or so, before Severus spoke up. “So you are willing to help me, but you won’t accept any yourself?”

        Alice turned her head towards him, as her gaze had wondered during the pause. Her eyes were slightly wide as he brought up the night that caused all of this, and immediately looked away in shame and embarrassment. But he understood her and where she was coming from. She was so similar to his younger self, and he felt for the first time ever: Empathy.

        “Tonight, you are to resume detention.” He said, his voice firm as he nodded at this sudden decision.

        “Don’t you think Pomfrey will scold you for forcing me?” Alice asked.

        “Yes, but it’s in your best interest.” Severus replied, sitting up from his chair and turning to leave. “You’ll see.”

        He left the Hospital Wing with a set objective in his mind for that evening, and left Alice with the silliest look of confusion on her face.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Much to Pomfrey’s dismay, Alice explained that she didn’t really know what Snape was planning to do, but said that she trusted him, which received her a shocked look from the nurse. Even though she protested her leaving the bed all the way up until Alice’s last step in the Wing, she was determined to listen to the Professor’s orders, and made her way to the dungeons and to Severus’ office.

        Routine by this point, she was about to ask what her task was for tonight as soon as she entered the room, but stopped in the middle of her words. She looked at his usually cleared desk and saw a chair next to a cauldron, and an assortment of ingredients. Coming closer to inspect, she looked at the supplies and looked up at Snape.

        “Draught of Peace?” She confirmed.

        “You will be sitting as you make this for yourself, while I supervise.” He instructed.

        Without hesitation, she replied, “How much will the ingredients cost? I can pay you back right now, actually. My parents left me with a fortune.” She didn’t mind revealing that to him, since the cat was out of the bag with him.

        “No need, this will be from the school, as an aid to it’s student.”

        Alice looked up at him for a brief moment in the eyes, trying to read him, but it was useless. Huffing, she began to make the potion, him standing over the desk, across from her.

        Time went by, as Alice was quite relieved that she would be sitting during this process, knowing that standing still for a period of time while she was weak, would only cause her to faint once again. He just stood there, with his arms crossed and silent, nodding every once in a while in approval, saying that she made the correct choice. Instructions were not laid out, as neither of them needed it for this draught.

        As she reached for the next element, she began to experience vertigo. The room felt as if it was spinning, and so did the table before her, as it began to look warped. Noticing her sudden stop in her movement, he went to reach for the component to hand it to her, but she was trying her best not to receive help.

        Both of them reaching for it at the same time, made them touch hands, hers on top of his, and quickly, they both looked up at one another as they realized their mistake. She was too dizzy to keep eye contact for long, and she removed her hand from his.

        “My apologies, Professor.” She stated blankly from distraction, moving that same hand up to her forehead, trying to regain her composure.

        “It’s...alright…” He replied, taking the unit and beginning to take control of the potion making process.

        “No, Professor Snape, I’ll complete it, just give me a moment.” She said hastily.

        “No Crimson, you’re not in any shape. I will finish it.” He said firmly.

        “Does that mean I can go back to the Hospital Wing?” Asked Alice.

        “Is there any part of I’ll finish this that says you leaving?” He asked as if she were stupid.

        Glaring up at his tall figure, she replied, “No, but it could most certainly infer.”

        “You’re staying here until I finish, now take care of yourself for once.” He demanded once again.

        He astonished her once again that day, as she pondered over what he had just said. Was he perhaps, truly worried over her? But why did she receive special treatment? Those words gave her deja vu, and remembered that he said everything came with a price.

        “No, this one is an exception.” He said out of the blue, not looking up from the black cauldron. Alice knew that in her weak state, he could read her easily, and understood that he had done just that.

        “Why?” She asked, a little peeved that he took advantage of her current condition.

        “Why can you worry over me being stressed, but I can’t be concerned after you fainted?” He asked in return.

        Alice realized the contradicting position she was in, knowing that he was right, but he still further surprised her with his words. Alice was still confused about one thing though. “Why don’t you act like this every time a Slytherin falls ill?”

        “Because they aren’t worth my time or my energy.”

        She laughed, as her words were thrown right back at her face, and muttered to herself, quiet enough so he couldn’t hear her. “Wise ass…”

        “What was that?” Severus slightly barked.

        Smirking devilishly once again, her eyes flashed red. “Pry it out of me, Professor.” She dared him.

        With a slight smile tugging at the corners of his lips, he was completely satisfied. He had done it, he had completed his objective for that night. To bring back the Alice he once knew.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        The Professor finished the potion making process and filled up ten vials of it, capping each of them with a cork stopper. He flicked his wand, and the cauldron went away along with the various tools. Alice began to get up, but with another wave of his wand, she was pushed back into the black cushion seat.

        “Sit.” He commanded.

        “But Professor I thought--” She was about to begin her objection, but Severus cut her off.

        “Drink some tea and relax before having to be surrounded by idiots.”

        Before she even knew it, two tea cups were before them on the desk. Alice raised a brow at him, but could never refuse tea, and picked up the cup that was closest to her. Sniffing, she could easily tell it was Peppermint.

        “How did you know I liked this? Or better yet, needed it for nausea?” She asked, still dazed and confused.

        “You were practically yelling it from your thoughts.” He scoffed at her, and took his cup of black tea and began to drink it.

        Not asking anything more, she gladly began to drink it, as Peppermint was one of her favorite kinds of the beverage. They sat in silence for a few minutes, basking in the peaceful silence before, like usual, Alice broke it with her voice.

        “I want to apologize for my actions from a month ago, before I grew silent. It was not my place to try to be your friend.” She stated, finally gathering the courage to confront him on the matter.

        Even though he has thought about this for quite some time, Snape was still unsure of what to say in return and instead pondered in thought, seeing if he could try to find an answer.

        “You’re a very special student, Ms. Crimson. Very intelligent, inquisitive, cunning, meticulous, and to many people’s surprise, quite kind.” Was he...complimenting her? And not in a backhanded sort of way, either? A full and complete compliment. He continued, “I think you are worth having around, if you prove yourself enough.”


	6. Notice Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A pretty sizable update, this time! Now, in this chapter, Alice performs and is a little hard to explain. SO. I based it off of a performance that has been done and there's a video of it. It's really beautiful so I recommend watching it before reading this chapter. I hope you think the act is as beautiful as I think it is, and enjoy reading! Here's the video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_X09NCfyrc

        After spending the last few days in the Hospital Wing, Alice was now declared recovered and was able to resume her studies. After her first day in the Wing, her nights with her Potions professor had paused, and she wondered if they would proceed, or if he was done with his punishment for her, finally. It had been month and a half, after all, for every single weekday after dinner.

        Just before she was about to collect the books that have kept her busy during her down time, her House’s female Prefect came towards her. “Alice, Headmaster Dumbledore is requesting your presence in his office.” Alice looked at a nearby clock and saw that it was just twenty minutes before lunch. Curious as to what the old man wanted, she flicked her wand and sent her books floating away, to her shared bedroom. She nodded silently in acceptance of this order, and went on her merry way.

        In front of her stood a giant statue of griffin, looking slightly up with its’ wings unfolded but curled around its head. She stood there in awe, admiring the beauty of the animal before her.

        “Isn’t it quite the creature, Alice?” A soft voice asked from behind her.

        Almost defensively, she twisted around in her place, ready to grab her wand if it was an enemy, but it was quite the opposite. It was the Headmaster himself.

        Relaxing her muscles from tensing up, she straightened up and replied with a neutral expression. “It most certainly it, Headmaster Dumbledore. I truly admire Griffins. You called for me?”

        “Indeed, I did. Come up to my office, Alice.” He replied, walking in front of her and stood in front of said statue, saying the password to his office. “Lemon Drop.”

        Almost baffled at the silly choice for a password, she looked up at the tall man with furrowed brows in confusion. He, however, didn’t turn to face her, and instead began to walk up the spiral staircase. She followed in suit with a smile, realizing that Dumbledore also had a sweet tooth, and thought it was rather cute.

        They entered through a door, and before her was his office, with a beautiful fire red Phoenix perched on top on a rod. She examined the room around her, never being in this space before, and appreciating all the artifacts and portraits of past Headmasters. The Headmaster sat behind his desk in his high back chair, and motioned for her to take a seat as well. Even though she has been sitting non stop for the past few days and was rather sick of it, she obliged out of manners. Her back never rested against the chair, as she instead sat completely straight and on the edge of her seat.

        “What is it you needed of me, Headmaster?” She asked.

        “While you were away, I had an interesting conversation with Melissa Fisher.” He said.

        “Oh?” She commented, as a signal for him to continue.

        “She was too afraid to ask Severus for any help, and no one else could answer her question, because she didn’t want to bother you during your healing.”

        Alice could only smile and comment, “She’s such a sweet thing, Melissa.”

        “Yes, she very much is. So she came to me for advice instead. But after she got her answer, she asked about you, and talked about you for a brief moment.”

        Alice could only sit there and search her memory rampantly, hoping that she didn’t share anything detrimental that she could have spilled. But the white bearded man eased her worries.

        “She said you could perform a thing from the Muggle world called aerial silks and aerial hoop.” He confirmed.

        Laughing lightly out of embarrassment, she nodded. “Yes I do, but why are you discussing this with me?”

        “Well, the Winter Ball will be happening in two weeks, and I thought it would be delightful if you could perform something for us.” He requested.

        Alice looked shocked, as this request came completely out of left field. She assumed he would maybe ask her to be an assistant in one of her classes, or help aid a teacher in some way, but it couldn’t have been more opposite.

        “Perform my aerial for everyone attending?” She asked, making sure she didn’t hear it wrong.

        “Yes, but if you don’t feel comfortable I completely understand. Of course, I didn’t expect someone as bold as you to be shy.”

        Quickly, almost out of pride, she corrected him. “No, no, Professor. I’m not shy, don’t fret, this merely caught me completely off guard, if I may be honest.” She paused for a moment before giving her answer, “But I would completely delighted to do so.” Alice smiled up at him, accepting the offer.

        “Wonderful! I’m sure anything you create will be amazing to watch.” He complimented.

        She only laughed as she got up and made her way out of the exit, “Don’t be complimenting me yet, for I’m not sure if I can meet those standards!” But secretly, she was absolutely thrilled at the opportunity.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Alice entered the Great Hall where everyone was gathered to eat lunch, and before she could even begin to scan the room for her dear friend whom she missed, she was hugged from behind.

        “Alice!!! You’re back!!” Yelled Melissa, followed by her joyous laughter.

        Crimson nearly fell forwards from the sudden weight added, but planted her foot in front of her to be able to keep the both of them up instead of falling face first.

        “Hello, yes, nice to see you too, Melissa. But please do try not to land me back in the Hospital Wing, it’s so boring and depressing there.” Replied Alice, being reminded of just how cute and bubbly her friend was, and couldn’t but smile at her silliness. She was let go from the embrace from behind, and turned around and held one of Melissa’s hands in both of hers. “It’s good to see you too, silly. Come, let’s eat, I’m famished.”

        They both sat down at the Slytherin table, catching each other up on their worlds from the last time they met. Alice explained what had happened to her to make her stay in the Hospital Wing, and Melissa told her in return what she had missed in her classes. Of course, every subject was nothing new to Alice, and Melissa wasn’t surprised.

        Crimson remembered, “Oh yes, I just met with the Headmaster in his office before coming here.”

        “Oh? Did something happen?”

        “Most definitely. It seems as though a little someone told him that I could perform…” Alice paused in her sentence and looked directly at Melissa with a raised brow, indicating it was her, “And he then requested me to do just that at our Winter Ball in two weeks.”

        Melissa’s jaw dropped at the sudden news, and grew very excited very quickly. “WHAT?!”

        “Goodness me, what’s with you and yelling out of nowhere?” Alice asked, softly scolding her sweet friend.

        “Sorry...but what?! You’re going to perform? In front of everyone? Aren’t you scared?” Asked Melissa.

        “Not at all, just more concerned with the fact that I need to make or find an appropriate outfit to move in, and to make a whole routine in a matter of two weeks and practice it to perfection, as well.” Her head already began to run through various tricks she could do, what the theme or story should be, and just how vulnerable did she want to become in the emotion of her performance?

        “Oh, I think you’ll be just great.” Reassured Melissa.

        “No, I think it will be above and beyond.” Said Alice with a dangerous smirk, already forming an idea in her head.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Alice knocked on the door of Professor Snape classroom, before she let herself in, knowing that she was expected, since he never said these detentions were ever over.

        “Professor?” She called out, not seeing him in sight.

        “Behind you.” Spoke a deep voice from behind her. Alice gasped softly as she was once again snuck up on by someone for the second time that day. Her wand was faced at him, and because of this action, it made Severus get defensive as well. Recognizing who it was, she lowered her wand and tucked it back inside of her sleeve where it usually hid.

        “Professor Snape, I’d prefer if you didn’t scare me like that.” She requested, the tone of her voice showing that she really didn’t appreciate it.

        “Then next time be more aware of your surroundings.” He hissed, expecting more from Crimson.

        “Well, I typically let my guard down in your classroom and office, sir.” She retorted.

        Raising his eyebrows at her, he asked, “Why would you do a stupid thing like that?”

        “Because I know if I’m around you, I’ll be safe. You’re so powerful, after all. Who wouldn’t feel assured around you?” Alice explained.

        Snape wanted to say,  _‘It’s because they think I’m the wolf that is after them.’_ But he bit his tongue and decided to not say it. Instead, he came further into the room, and closed the door behind his pitch black cape. He walked towards the smaller room, and she asked, “What will I be doing today, Professor Snape?”

        “You will be brewing the Amortentia potion.” He answered, leaving the wooden door to his office for her to enter as well, and close behind her. Alice followed his billowing cape, admiring its elegance.

        “The strongest love potion, Professor?” She clarified.

        “Yes.” He replied, a tab bit annoyed as he knew she understood him the first time.

        “That doesn’t seem like much of a punishment, Professor.” She commented.

        “Because those are over. I’ve now decided to tutor you, instead.”

        Sparks lit up in Alice’s eyes, a smile slowly creeping over her lips. She didn’t know what changed his mind, but she wasn’t about to ask and instead asked, “Really? You’re actually going to tutor me?”

        “Are you now deaf, Ms. Crimson?” He asked sharply, getting a little more annoyed with her.

        “No, but if you’re going to tutor me, teach me something I don’t know, which is essentially anything passed what seventh years are taught, I already know everything they’re currently learning. Oh! No, better yet, teach me more about the Dark Arts!” Alice was getting more excited and passionate to learn with every word she spoke, sitting down in her usual black chair to contain herself.

        Snape went to the opposite side of his desk and didn’t sit down, but instead looked down at Alice. “Why are you so fixated on the Dark Arts?” He inquired.

        Instead, she flipped the question onto him, “Why are  _you_ fascinated by the Dark Arts? Because it constantly changes, because there’s never ending discoveries you can make there, right? It feels as though normal magic at hit a wall, and won’t have any additions anytime soon. The Dark Arts are mysterious and intriguing. That’s why I’m curious. I’m not going to cower at it and run away, I’m going to learn about it and it’s powers, and harness them for myself.”

        Alice was blunt and honest in her reasons, her eyes still lighting up about even talking about the subject, she was beyond interested, she was devoted. Severus looked at her for a brief moment, contemplating on whether or not he should. But even he, himself, would better enjoy teaching someone about the Dark Arts, and if any student was capable of handling it, it was Crimson.

        He nodded and grabbed a book from the many that he had on his shelves, “Very well, it seems as though teaching you something you already know would be a waste of both of our time.”

        Alice clapped her hands softly and pulled her chair closer to the desk, eager to begin. She first went over what she already knew, which was the basics and deeper. It was the darker and more sinister magic that they weren’t taught or allowed to learn, that she didn’t know. They spent the rest of the evening together, talking about various topics of the deeper Dark Arts. Alice spent most of the time listening to his low voice, but every once in a while would interject with a question or two, either asking to clarify something or to further explain it. Every once in a while, Alice would both listen to him and his words, and observe him simultaneously. He showed more interest now than ever, his eyes showing the slightest bit of passion. She smiled at the thought that he was subconsciously opening up to her. Crimson also noticed that his voice was soothing in her eyes, no longer menacing as she first felt. Perhaps it was because he showed a more accepting side of his personality a few nights ago, or the fact that she found it even a little attractive.

        She felt a tug at her mind, and immediately looked at Snape in the eyes, glaring at him. “At what exactly were you trying to do, Professor?”

        “I was trying to get your attention, your head went elsewhere. Don’t waste my time, Crimson.” Severus retorted.

        She only smirked at him and responded, “As if I’d ever.”

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Their first private lesson together ended, and Snape got up to put away the book he used to confirm what areas she already knew, and which ones to teach her of.

        “Thank you Professor, for teaching me what I requested when we first met, I haven’t been so engaged in quite some time.” She gave her thanks and mention, referring to the fact that she was never stimulated in her classes anymore. “Can I make you some tea as a small token?” She offered.

        He looked over his shoulder at her for a brief moment before sighing, “If you insist. Fine.”

        Smiling, Alice already had her tea set from last time coming through the door that she opened through magic, and got the tea ready. She moved her hands about the fine china with a smile on her lips, and suddenly remembered.

        “Oh yes! You’ll have to cut your lessons with me in half, whichever evenings are your preferred.” She mentioned without further explaining.

        However, he pushed her to do just that. “On what grounds?”

        “The Headmaster has requested that I am to perform at the Winter Ball in two weeks.”

        “Perform? Is it that aerial thing that you’ll be doing?” He asked.

        Instead, she only winked at him with a small tilt of her head to the side, “You’ll have to watch to find out.”

        He sat once again to join her and didn’t reply, only watched her hands as they moved about and steeped the tea leaves in the pot. They were both silent, but it wasn’t awkward or tense between them at all, for once, it was peaceful. No games, no defenses, no hostility. Just quiet, and they both weren’t bothered by it for one bit.

        Alice began to relax, her usually tense muscles finally relaxing, and her usually impeccable posture took a break, as she leaned back in the velvet chair. The slow changes in her manners and typically strict demeanor were evident to Severus.

        He asked her, “Have you any clue as to what you’ll do for your performance?”

        Snape caught her off guard for a second time, but this was because of his question. She thought that the last person to be interested in it would be her Potions Professor.

        “I do actually. Are you genuinely curious, or merely making conversation with pleasantries?” She asked in return.

        “Both.” Snape answered with a slight smirk, but it wasn’t true, he actually was curious to see what this thing looked like, and if she was any good at it. Of course, he didn’t expect anything less from her.

        “I’m going to have rain.” She started.

        “Inside the room?” He asked, already surprised by her.

        “Don’t worry, I’m only going to have it rain in the area I’ll be dancing and doing tricks, and make sure the left over rain will immediately be collected and sent somewhere. But yes, I’m going to have it rain, so it will be a rain performance. And I already have a story that I want to portray. I’m actually quite excited.”

        “What is it going to be about, exactly?”

        “I can’t tell you that, it’s a secret. You’ll have to wait two weeks to find out.” She teased.

        Severus didn’t necessarily care, and only rolled his eyes at her, making it obvious that she wasn’t getting a rise out of him to make her tell him. He wasn’t as curious as she was.

        As the nighttime tea went on, they spoke about a few things here and there, breaking the silence with short conversations. Alice began to take the tea set away once they were both finished and just before she left, Severus said, “I want you here on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. You may have the other evenings and the weekend to work on your...thing.”

        Alice giggled at him and nodded. “Thank you, Professor, good night. Make sure to at least try to get some sleep.” She encouraged.

        “Don’t go giving me orders about sleeping when you were just in the Hospital Wing for not doing just that.”

        She laughed, her voice filled with amusement and happiness, and Severus could hear it. It wasn’t trying to make a joke, but he was more fixated on how someone could be so warm around him. “Fair enough, Professor. Good night!” She said once again.

        “Good night…” He muttered, hoping she didn’t catch it before she closed the door behind herself, but she heard every letter.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Two weeks seemed to come and go in a blink of an eye for Alice, and it was the Friday that the Winter Ball was going to take place. She had stayed up until midnight many nights, just to be able to practice her performance in the Common Room without anyone being around. She was eating more than usual, closer to actual meals because of the sudden rise in the use of energy, surprising Melissa.

        She had a maid from her home, send her two outfits: One, her dress that she used for special occasions, and a black long sleeve leotard to perform in. Excitement buzzed amongst the elder students, as people whispered about dates, crushes, and outfits. Even though Alice’s mind was elsewhere compared to the rest, she still took the time to listen to her dear friend explain what her dress looked like during lunch.

        “Oh I’m not doing my dress justice, you’ll see later tonight when we get ready for the ball.” Concluded Melissa.

        Alice could feel her chest tighten more and more, the closer the time came, and not for fright, but more for anxiety of what others might think of her after she did her feat. She would of course be vulnerable during her dance, and that was most definitely something out of her comfort zone. The teachers that day almost seemed to give up trying to get the kids to concentrate, and sort of half taught the rest of the day away instead.

        Evening fell as the sun said it’s last goodbyes to the sky, as the moon took over. Alice got ready in her room, sitting next to Melissa as they both did their makeup. Melissa did a black liner classic looks, while the attention for Alice was more on her small doll like lips, as she colored them a crimson red. How fitting. Her dress was the same in color, as well. It was a shiny royal red off the shoulder dress, that laces up in the back, and the bottom half was decorated with tulle roses. The skirt was an a line, and Alice pulled the top half of her long her up, and the rest of her wavy hair down.

        Melissa gawked at Alice once she slipped her tiny feet into black heels, and said, “Alice, you look amazing!”

        “As do you, my dear. That golden yellow is the perfect color for you.” Replied Alice.

        Her friend only giggled in shyness, as they both decided earlier in the week to go together as friends. They made their way through the Common Room, and up to the usually empty ballroom, now decorated with icy crystals all about, dorned with tables and chairs all about, leaving an empty space in the center. They both looked around, seeing the place already filled with nervous couples and rowdy friends. Melissa was pulled away from Alice by a few Hufflepuffs that she got along with, and Alice decided to go make conversation with the teachers.

        The room filled with chatter, as Alice for once was no longer menacing, and everyone could see that. A smile was on her face as she laughed with the Professors, and was the girl everyone watched, the Belle of the Ball. Peeking out from her brunette hair were ruby earrings, which became a hot topic with her, as everyone asked if they were real. They were.

        The night went on with feasting, dancing, and a live wizard band playing. Many of the boys from mainly Slytherin came up to Crimson, making casual conversation, and were surprised to be greeted by a warm and feminine person. No one had ever seen this side of her before, because she was constantly in work mode during school hours, and most of her free time was spent in her room or in Professor Snape’s office.

        At the sudden thought of the dark knight, she scanned the room to look for him, but couldn’t find him. She was more surprised to find herself...disappointed. But she covered it up from anyone noticing with the smile she gave everyone tonight.

        “W-Would you mind...dancing with me, Alice?” Asked a shy Ravenclaw boy who was blushing, and looking to his left and down at the floor.

        Alice only smiled at him and said, “I actually have to go get ready for my performance now, but let’s dance after it, shall we?”

        Without even waiting for an answer, she put her glass down of sparkling cider and made her way towards the exit. It was time. Ten short minutes later, Alice was in her room, looking at herself in the mirror. The leotard exposed every inch of her legs, elongating them, and the long sleeves of the one piece also showed their length and slimmed them, not that she needed that in the slightest. She was already lanky to begin with. She made her way back to the winter themed ballroom, and stood in the corner of the room, waiting for Dumbledore to make the announcement and hoping to not get noticed before that by too many people. Her heart began to pound faster and louder as every second passed by, her anxiety skyrocketing. She was nervous, no matter how confident she was.

        Dumbledore hit a spoon against his glass, and all the chatting halted, as he voice instead filled the room. “It is my pleasure to say one of our students will be performing tonight. It is from the Muggle world, and the art is called Aerial silks. Please take a seat and enjoy Alice Crimson’s dance.”

        Hushed whispers and the shuffling of people moving around filled the room, as they grew curious and shocked. Alice made her way out from the shadows of the room, coming to the once again empty center where people were dancing just moments before. With her wand in her left hand, every step of hers was heard, and some Gryffindor boys whistled at her in her outfit. However, she couldn’t hear them. She flicked her wand, and appeared a silk hammock, not suspended by wires as Muggles would do, but instead in the air, staying in one place as though it was frozen in time. As she finally reached the silk that hung just above her head, she waved her wand once more, and out come...rain. It was raining in a box around her. But it didn’t wet the ground out of the invisible line. It was, just as she said, and it only accumulated to an inch and the rest of the excess disappeared. She also made a fake human appear next to her, a man, that she conjured up from her wand. Alice found Melissa nearby, just as she requested, and tossed her wand to her trusted alley. Melissa was never told why, and just barely caught her wand without letting it fall. It made Alice smile to herself and give her courage in some odd way.

        Alice began to grow wet, her hair completely down this time. She pulled on a black blindfold over her eyes and got down on the ground, ready to begin. Alice tapped her finger twice on the floor, a signal to Melissa to start the song. It was time.

        The beginning of the song was piano, as it played softly, Alice began. She looked as though she was suffering, lost, and confused. She couldn’t see her surroundings, and felt almost comforted by the fact that she couldn’t see the audience. The fake man stood on the edge of the raining center, waiting. She lifted her hands to the fabric that covered her eyes. Dramatically, she felt around, both in the air and on the floor, as she gasped, truly lost and afraid. People immediately stopped their lingered whispers, entranced by the act before them. Every single eye was on her, including Snape’s, who was always there, simply hiding from her sight until now. How convenient that she still wasn’t able to see him.

        Her body was shaking, on purpose of course, as she acted as though she was shivering. The singer began:

_“I’ve seen the world, done it all, had my cake now. Diamonds, brilliant, in Bel Air now…”_

        The phantom man went to reach for the scared looking Alice, who quivered at his touch and turned away, grabbing her knees to her chest, rejecting his love to her symbolically. He rushed to sit behind her, as he joined the dance.

        He embraced her from behind, wrapping his arms around her frame and rocking her left and right. Alice opened up to him, slowly accepting his embrace and love to him. They danced together,

_“Hot summer nights, mid July, when you and I were forever wild.”_

        The man rolled Alice over until he was hovering over her, Alice pulling the blindfold slowly off from her eyes, looking at the man.

_“The crazy days, city lights, the way you would play with me like a child.”_

        They began to dance with one another, their moves full of passion. He pulled her up from the floor, and dipped her elegantly in the rain, their bodies drenched. The unknown man supported her back as Alice extended her hand over her head. He lifted her up once again, and twirled her a few times before supporting her as she fan kicked behind her body. It was a symbol of their love and relationship together, and it was noticeable in the story they portrayed together.He dipped her once more, this time only holder one of her legs, and extended it up, showing her flexibility, and as she got up, she turned and went into an arabesque, him holding onto her ankle as she trusted him.

        But he came close behind her, their bodies pressed against one another, and he put the blindfold on her once again, before aggressively pushing her towards the ground, Alice rolling a few times from the force. Blindly, she looked up at him, confused by the sudden rejection.

_“I’ve seen the world, lit it up, as my stage now. Channeling angels in a new age now."_

        Having his own little moment, his danced in ways that would splash Alice, causing her to cower in the representation of his anger before the fake man disappeared.

_“Hot summer days, rock and roll, they way you played for me at your show.”_

        Now alone, Alice turned away and stood up, placing her hands out in front of her aimlessly, looking for something.

_“And all the ways, I got to know, your pretty face and electric soul.”_

        Finding what she was looking for, which was the bottom of the silk hammock, she grabbed on and lifted herself up and began to spin at a rather fast pace. Water began to fly from various parts of her body and the ends of her hair. She began the main aspect of her show, dancing and doing tricks high up in the air with the silks. Manipulating the fabric to make it do what she wanted, she performed effortlessly and with such beauty. Her long legs fell into a split as one foot was hooked into the hammock, and the other fell out into the air in front of her. All of this was done as she was still blind folded.

        Although beautiful, her moves were sometimes harsh, as if she was having an internal fight with herself, almost as if she was screaming to the audience around her,  _‘Notice me!’._

        And they noticed her, she moved with such grace, as almost everyone’s jaw was dropped. Snape even looked shocked, even though he wasn’t one to show emotions. As a highlight to her performance, she set herself up to do a ‘drop’, where she would suddenly fall and be caught by the fabric. A collective gasp fell on the room when they saw this, immediately followed by a loud roar of clapping, despite Alice still doing tricks.

        He stood there, behind a pillar, watching her every move, also caught in awe, just like everyone else. He couldn’t turn his eyes away, almost mesmerized by the story and her dance, both in the air and on the ground. It was a bitter but beautiful story, and it pulled out the sad memories of his own past. But he was forced to watch by his mind until the very last second.

        She hung upside down for a brief moment, one of the sides wrapped a couple times around her thigh as she bent both of her knees, one behind her, and one slightly in front of her. She paused in that pose, her beauty radiating through the room. Many of the girls began to cry from the beautiful performance. Doing a shorter drop, the hammock was locked around her knee as she dangled upside down once again, the shape of her gorgeous body being taken in by every pair of eyes. Just before the ending was concluded, she did another splits in the air, grabbing her front ankle. Lowering herself from the drenched hammock, she went into an upside down saddle before lowering herself to standing, the excess water from the end on the fabric being squeezed out from her hands and falling onto her head.

        The ending of the song slowly faded out, as she pulled off her blindfold and looked at everyone. Her eyes were soft, showing her weakness. All of her horrible childhood, her heartbreak from multiple people, and her soft interior, she stood there, huffing and puffing. It took a moment before the room erupted into a loud applause, and everyone standing from their seats. It took a moment for Alice to come back to reality, and eventually she smiled back at everyone and bowed to each side of the room.As she looked up from her last curtsey to the crowd, she locked eyes and found him. Severus. Pausing once again, she stood there idle, looking at him look at her from the back of the room. Smiling at him in what looked like a melancholy expression, she turned away from him and went to get her wand from Fisher. With a few waves of her wand, the water and the hammock were gone, and she was no longer wet, and was transformed back into her red dress with a spin, as if she had stayed in it the entire time and the performance was done by someone else.

        Without even thinking, she immediately made her way towards the man in black who no one came close to. She walked like a model towards him, her heels echoing as she smiled and waved at him. Once Alice stood in front of him, she looked up at him with curious eyes.

        “So, what did you think?” She asked.

        Without any hesitancy, he complimented her, “It was beautiful.”

        That threw her off. “Wait, really?”

        “Look around the room, Crimson.” He ordered, and she twisted around and followed them. Many of the girls were crying, being consulted by their dates, even Melissa, someone she didn’t even notice was a part of that group. “It was absolutely beautiful.” He said once again.

        Alice turned around and looked back at him, smiling wide at his second compliment she had ever received from him. “Thank you, Professor.” Was that...a small smile tugging at the ends of Snape’s lips? She thought she was dreaming, but she thought she could have sworn that’s what it was. Although, she began to notice that she was staring at his lips for far too long and looked away with a blush.

 _‘Why are my cheeks hot?’_ She asked herself.

        “Would you like to dance, Professor?” She invited him, but only teasing as she knew what his answer would be.

        “Not in a million years.” He responded coldly, but she wasn’t offended by his tone.

        She ignored him and instead said, “Oh, speaking of dancing, a boy from Ravenclaw asked me to dance with him. I think it was Alex Flint. He asked me just before I had to go get ready for my act, so I promised him that I would afterwards. I’ll find you later, yes?”

        She went towards a table where she spotted the boy with his friend group, and pulled him from them and into the center, which was filled once again with dancing bodies. The boy wasn’t as experienced as her in dance, despite McGonagall taking some time from the day to teach all of them. Most of their time was spent by Alice teaching him, and laughter from the both of them whenever he made a mistake.

        Severus stood in the corner of the room, watching her and the boy carefully. He was admiring her without himself really knowing it, but became confused when he grew irritated watching Flint dance with her. He didn’t really understand why, and decided to ignore him once again, and watch her instead. Her face was relaxed as she smiled and her mouth moved, her words inaudible from so far away. He looked at how her dressed expanded out whenever she twirled, and how the color crimson truly did look best on her, as did the House colors. He just watched her the entire time, almost noticing himself waiting for her to come back.

        Just as he shook his head in confusion from the thought, as she back at his side. “Is something wrong, are you feeling alright?” She asked, noticing his shaking of his head as he looked down at his crossed arms.

        “I’m quite alright, thank you.” He replied flatly.

        “Being around this many people is so exhausting. I’m already tired from the fake conversations, acting as though I care.” She complained, which gave her a small and deep chuckle from Severus. Hearing something like that from him was a first for her, and she quickly whipped her head towards him.

        “What did I do?”

        “Nothing, you just really do belong in Slytherin.” He commented.

        Alice laughed too, “Of course I do. And I’m glad I was placed here too.”

        “Why?”

        “Because I don’t think I would have known you like I do now, if I was in another House. And that’s a thought I don’t like to think about.”

        Once again, she spoke earnestly about the fact that she did want to be around him. Wanting to be his friend. He was slowly getting used to the idea, but was still shocked every time he heard it. Maybe she could become his apprentice.

        “Come.” He demanded, walking away.

        “To where?” She asked, still choosing to follow behind him, even if he didn’t give her an answer, and he didn’t. But she followed him, trusting him.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        He unlocked the door to his classroom, and let her go in first, still in her crimson red dress. Snape watched her walk inside, and looked at her frame, not even noticing himself do it.

        “Why are we in your room, Professor?” She asked, turning around to look at him.

        He closed the door behind him and replied, “You said you were tired of pretending, so I thought I’d help you get away from all those idiots.”

        Alice laughed aloud and smiled, turning back towards the room and walking up to the front of it, where his classroom desk sat. “That was very thoughtful of you, thank you.”

        “Don’t, it was so I could leave as well.” He replied.

        She turned towards him again, and hoisted herself on the top of his desk, letting her legs hand off from under her dress. “So what shall we do?”

        Before he could begin to scold her to get off of his desk, she asked her question, which he didn’t have an answer for, because he didn’t plan that far ahead. Standing there silently, he thought for a brief  moment before asking, “How does drinking tea and reading sound?”

        “On any other day, that would be splendid. But I’m still in a dancing mood.” She replied before getting an idea. “Professor, do you know how to dance?”

        “No.”

        “May I teach you?”

        “What?”

        “Now who’s the deaf one? I said may I teach you.”

        “I don’t--”

        “Oh please, Professor. You teach me all the time, allow me to do the same in return, it would make my night.”

        At the sound of her last words, he found his body acting before he could even command it. “If it would make you happy, fine.”  _‘What?’_ Severus asked himself, as the words came from his mouth before he even knew what he was saying.

        Giving out a small squeal of excitement, she hopped off his desk and walked towards him, taking out her wand and moving it, causing the desks and chairs to be lifted and placed on the sides of the room to give them space. She willingly held out her wand towards him and asked, “Would you hold this for me?”

        She was giving him her wand. Without a fight, without being defeated. That was the ultimate sign of submission in the wizarding world, nay, the most trusting thing you could possibly do. Silently, he took it and placed it into the same hiding spot that his was in.

        “Now, you take my hand in this one, and place your other hand on my waist.” She instructed, smiling more happily than ever, grabbing his right hand with no hesitancy in her actions, and not jumping at his touch like he expected. The other hand, however, he didn’t move. “Professor, my waist.” She said again, snapping him from his thoughts.

        Slowly, he moved his left hand towards her waist, and eventually rested it there. This was all too new to him, having so much physical contact with another human being. Smiling in satisfaction, she then proceeded to rest her right hand on his shoulder.

        “Good, now, let’s move like this…” Alice began to teach him the ballroom box step, one of the easiest things she could think of, and they moved only in that box. Snape felt awkward dancing, but she calmed him down with reassuring and encouraging words, but he never spoke once. When he began to get into the rhythm of it, and moved with more confidence, like he did when he made a potion, she decided to surprise him.

        “Amazing! Now do the same thing, but while turning in a big circle.”

        “What?” He finally peeped, getting caught off guard by the sudden addition.

        But she led them, and was slow for him, as this was the time she remembered she messed up and got confused. Surprisingly, Snape didn’t mix up his steps, and remained calm and perfect.

        “You’re actually good at dancing, Professor Snape.”

        “What is that supposed to mean?” He asked, almost offended. Alice laughed at the fact that he was getting to see what it was like whenever he gave out backhanded compliments, and decided to not say anything in return.

        After another minute of dancing in circles, she stopped them and clapped her hands in applause. “You were wonderful, Professor. I didn’t know you had potential to be a good dancer.”

        Almost processing the shock of what he had just experienced, he sat down at his classroom desk, and simply replied, “Please put all of my desks and chairs back to where they were.” He held out her wand, and gave her something to do, in hopes to buy himself some time to see what he thought of what just occurred.

        It was most definitely odd to him, to be so close to another. And for him to be  _dancing._ But he was also fixated as to why his mind spoke before he could think. Did some part of him also want to be close to her too in some aspect? No. Absolutely not, there was no way he ever wanted to be close to anyone. Not again. But then what made him want to be close to her just now?

        Then it dawned on him. He didn’t want that Flint boy being able to dance with her, and that’s why he was getting angry when he saw them together. He wanted what Flint got. But why was he suddenly possessive over her? She couldn’t have any friends besides him and Fisher? He was being ridiculous, but he couldn’t deny the feelings that were bubbling inside of him, even if he didn’t know what to make of them.

        Alice had taken her wand from his wand and made the objects in the room move back while he thought, her back to him. She took this moment to try to calm down her racing heart. She didn’t know why it got so worked up when dancing with her Professor, but not with the Ravenclaw, earlier. Why was she being anxious dancing with him? And why did she want to stay in his arms longer?

        Both of them stayed there in silence, pondering over their thoughts, confused of their actions, and slow developing feelings for one another.


	7. Cat’s Out Of The Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here's a fun game we should play! Can anyone guess what my scene separators are and what they mean? Also, please let me know if there are any errors in this chapter, it was late at night when I published this. Enjoy!

        They both stood in his classroom, Alice looking around a little frantically to try to find a way out of this awkward air between the both of them. Snape only looked at his feet, trying to hide his face, in case there was an expression on it he couldn’t see that he didn’t want to show to her. Both were running in circles inside of their heads, to distracted to see that both of them were in a vulnerable position, and could easily be targeted for Legilimency. They were too busy in their own thoughts to notice. Both standing there for a good minute, Alice finally was able to break the air.

        “I want to say, thank you...Professor.” She mumbled in a soft and delicate voice.

        Putting on a mask of neutrality, Severus finally looked up at met her eyes, “For?”

        She shrugged, hugging her arms just below her chest. “For everything you’ve done for me, up until now. You’ve taken time out of your evenings to teach me interesting things, you put up with my rather sassy attitude, and you just danced with me, even though your face looked reluctant. You do these things simply because I really want them, and that’s very kind of you.”

        Did someone, just describe the infamous potions teacher as  _kind_? He stood there, his eyes flickering in surprise. As if reading his thoughts, she smiled and giggled softly. “Yes, kind. At least I think so. People who have typically hard exteriors, such as myself, are the ones who can show the most sweetness. And when I first met you, that was want I wanted to reach; your sweet side. If I’m ever doing something that makes you uncomfortable, though, please don’t hesitate to tell me. I’ll understand.”

        Smiling at him over her bare shoulder, Alice made her way towards the exit of his room. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to have some alone time about the castle before the ball ends. This castle is relaxing when there aren’t any souls running about.” She opened the door and waved at him with her hand that held her wand, smiling once more before quietly closing the door with a  _click_. He stood there, his feet wanting to find a reason to join her, to go after her, and he was still confused as to why he was feeling this way, why he had grown to like her as a person. Was this the start of something for Severus’ heart?

        He stood there, quiet and unmoving for ten minutes. The man with long black hair noticed next to him, as he leaned against the front of his desk, that a golden chain bracelet was on the corner of the desk. Snape didn’t even notice that she was wearing this, realizing that his thoughts were instead on her beauty in that red dress. His feet had found an excuse to go see her once more. Grabbing it with haste in his palm, he made his way out of his room, locking the door behind himself with magic. His strides were long and fast, making the average person believe he was angry or upset, but it was not. He was merely anxious and confused.  _‘Why the bloody hell am I doing this?’_

        He went searching about various parts of the castle, starting with her Common Room, hissing at some kids who were snogging, deducting points from his House students. He went to the courtyard, and couldn’t find her there either. He went about the long and vast amount of halls this giant castle had, growing more irritated the more he turned up without an answer. After searching for a good twenty minutes, he peered over the edge of giant building and spotted her. She was laying down on the grass, under a tree and near the lake. Without wasting another moment, he went after her, begging her in his mind not to move before he made it.

        As though she had heard his plea, she was still there when he saw her not too far in front of him, still laying down in the grass, not changed out of her dress yet. Her black heels were off of her rather small feet, and placed to her left. Alice’s eyes were closed, and for once he saw her resting with a peaceful expression. He stood a couple feet from her frame, observing her. Her hair was sprawled out in a circle around her head, her wavy brown hair shiny in the moonlight. Her lips were slightly parted, and her ruby earrings sparkled. He admired her for a brief moment, before his thoughts went elsewhere. This was the same area where Potter and his friends would bully him every single day, Lily coming in to stop him and yell at him. Heartbreak shot through his chest once again, as the memories played in his head. Shaking his head in frustration, he kneeled next to her, wondering if he should wake her or not. As he sat and contemplated his options and their possible consequences, he still watched over her, quietly protecting her.

        “S...Severus…” She muttered in her sleep, turning onto her side with a new smile on her lips and faced him. Shocked and almost gasping that she called him by his first name, he stared down at her. Just what was it in her dream that made her call him? Snape was tempted to look into her head, since she was asleep, and wouldn’t be able to defend herself from his intrusion. He knew it wasn’t right, and pursed his lips from his new conflict. He closed his eyes as he made his decision; his curiosity got the best of him.

        He entered her mind and look at her dream play out before his mind’s eye. They were together, dancing in his classroom again, just as they had earlier that night. But in her dream, Severus dipped her just like the man did in her show and...kissed her?! Immediately pulling himself out from her subconscious, he let his mouth slightly open as he stared at her still sleeping self. Is that what she wished he had done? Or was this the sort of dream people got sometimes, where they end up doing romantic things with someone they wouldn’t even imagine of being attracted to? But he knew he was only denying himself, recounting all the events that transpired between them. How she had begun to behave around him, did she even realized this was how she felt? Or was she just as confused as he was? Snape couldn’t be sure couldn’t be sure. But before he knew it, he looked back down at her, and saw her eyes already open, smirking as she waited to be found out.

        “Did you already miss me?” She teased, with a slight blush on her cheeks. Alice’s mind was running around like wild as she tried to cover the fact that she just had a dream of the man sitting before her. She was embarrassed as hell, but tried to hide it with her usual cheeky personality.

        Not even acknowledging what she had just asked, he extended his hand out to her, offering her the gold jewelry back. “You forgot this on my desk.” He replied flatly, regaining his composure completely, at least on the outside.

        “Oh! Thank you, this means a lot to me.” She said, sitting up and also sat up on her knees, taking the gold bracelet from him with a cute smile. “The Minister of Magic gave it to me as a gift.” She commented, struggling to put it back on her wrist with only one hand.

        “Oh, give it here.” He demanded with a roll of his eyes, taking her wrist into his hands as he carefully clasped it for her. He noticed that her skin was almost just as pale as his, but with one of the softest things he had ever touched. His fingers lingered, and she pulled her arms away and held it to her chest, nodding to him in thanks. “ _The_ Minister of Magic?” He asked her.

        “Yes, he consulted my father quite often for political choices, my father working in the Ministry before he passed. So I grew up with him visiting the manor rather often.”

        “Manor?” He asked again.

        She laughed sheepishly and looked down at her lap. “Yes, the manor...my family made a good amount of money too. It’s why I’m able to live on my own without them or any known extended family. He worked in the Ministry, and she was a model of sorts for pricey witch clothing.” Alice explained.

        Severus only nodded and kept quiet, now realizing another aspect in which she was similar to him. She was all alone. But his mind traveled elsewhere, as he recalled her dream and noticed himself staring at her lips. They were dainty and soft looking, curled up into a smile.

        “Is something the matter, Professor? Was there more you came for besides my bracelet?”

        “Yes, you should know better than to leave yourself so vulnerable out here, Crimson.” He stated firmly, standing up and quickly turning around, his cape following him.

        “Then come to my rescue sometime!” She called out to him jokingly, laughing after what she called out to him, but there was something in her tone underneath, that said she wasn’t joking. Once he was out of sight, she quickly grabbed her chest and sighed in relief, her cheeks becoming more red. Alice looked down at her wrist that he touched, and smiled softly to herself, reminiscing in the moment that they just shared.    
 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        It was in the middle of their winter break, and Alice lulled around her large home, annoyed about the amount of boredom she felt. At least during this time, she was able to take some time to sort out her feelings, trying to see what kind they were and what they meant. But she still couldn’t manage to figure it out.

        “Ugggghh!” She breathed out, she went upstairs towards the master bedroom and called out to her butler, “I’m going into town to pick up some things, I need some air!”

        “Yes, Ms. Crimson.” The man replied, bowing towards her as she made her way up the stairs to the second floor. She noticed just how high his voice was compared to the potions master’s tone, and almost grew irritated every time she heard him speak.

        She got dressed into a long all black dress, covered in details of lace here and there, that ended at her shins. Under she wore black opaque tights, and paired some combat boots with the long sleeve dress. She pulled on a cape, some cashmere gloves, and a matching beret, and Alice was ready to leave her house. Grabbing a small wallet and her wooden wand, she Apparated.

        Alice appeared in the middle of the busy Hogsmeade, all the tops of the stores and the cobble roads covered in pure white snow. She wondered why it was so busy, and realized her mistake when passing a pair of women talking to one another. “So what are you going to get your boyfriend?”

        Bloody hell, it was almost Christmas, and she had forgotten. She was invited to the Minister’s annual dinner party for the holidays, but Alice didn’t want to bother to go. Maybe she could use the sick card to get out of it? Wondering about the shops, she got ingredients of her own to refill her supply to make potions, bought some interesting books, and some more warm attire to add to her closet. She went into another store, finding ink pots, scrolls of paper, and quills all about the room. Alice looked at the quills, adoring them dearly, looking at all the various designs and differences. Suddenly, an idea popped into her head, and she decided with a nod she was going to act on it. She was going to buy Professor Snape a Christmas present.

        Knowing that he wrote on student’s paper every single evening, she thought a quill and some ink would not only be a practical gift, but that should could customize it to make it special for him. She looked at the various lengths, colors, and types of feathers to choose from, and decided a long raven feather would suit him best. The handle was a carved quill painted black, and had a gold ring where the feather and quill met. She also requested from the clerks man to etch ‘Severus’ into the handle in gold. As he went into the back, fulfilling her order, she moved about the empty store and looked at the ink options, and decided to get him two colors, black and red. She picked the most expensive brand, of course. She was a shopaholic, after all. She waited for a few more minutes, having the additions to her Professor’s gift in her hands, the rest of her bags from previous buys already gone, sent back to her mansion. The man looked more than happy at her additions, knowing that the price would rack up, but she didn’t care. She was able to live the life she wanted and quite lavishly. Ignoring the sparkle in his eyes, she requested it to be put it it’s box that was able to hold the inks as well, and to have the box be a  _crimson_ red, almost bursting into laughter at her silly humor. She paid the man who owned the shop and left with a smile, disappearing in the middle of the store.

        She appeared back in front of the gate of her house, flicking her wand to undo the protection spell around it in order to get through. Once she entered her front door, the protection came back, and she smiled, liking the comfort it brought her. She slammed the door open, rather obnoxiously with a large smirk on her face.

        “I’M BACK~!” Alice laughed at herself standing like a superhero in entrance of her home, before calming down and closing the door behind her. “Get me some Earl Grey tea ready, and my stationery set out on my desk.” She ordered her maid, who nodded and turned away towards the kitchen. Crimson made her way back towards her room, and got changed into a deep green nightgown, before making her way to the library, which was also her office. Walking in, everything she requested was waiting for her, as she had in her hand a paper bag, which held Snape’s gift. Setting it down next to her chair, she sat, and began to brainstorm on what she wanted to say in the card.

        After writing drafts and failed attempts for two hours, she grew frustrated, not knowing what to do with herself. Many of her crumbled notes were somewhat flirtatious, others were full on confessions, and others were just basic happy holiday lines. Eventually, she gave up and decided to write on a postcard:

 

_Happy Holidays, Professor. I hope you’ll accept my gift and put it to good use._

_Love, Alice_

 

        Quickly, Crimson used a spell to have the word ‘love’ changed into ‘yours truly’. She just wasn’t ready yet, and she still didn’t know completely how she felt about him, and didn’t want to say something she couldn’t take back. Placing the card inside the box, she closed the red leather lid to the set, and wrapped it in a black tulle bow. She smiled in satisfaction, as her two favorite colors looked back at her. She sent her butler to go give it to him at Hogwarts, and leaned back in her high back chair, smiling as she sipped her tea.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        It was two days later, at it was Christmas Eve. Alice didn’t want to go to tonight’s party, and instead let the thought of Snape’s present occupy her mind. She knew he had received it by now, and wondered what he thought of it. Out of the back of her mind, a thought crawled in.  _‘Invite him to come to the party with you.’_ She only giggled at the thought, knowing that his attendance, no, him coming with her to the party, would make her quite happy and make it worth the trip.

        Alice decided to show one of her cards, by speaking to him through his mind, something only a select few could do. Finding his location after closing her eyes, and began to echo through his head.

 _‘What are you doing later tonight?’_ She could hear him nearly drop a book as he looked around the room, looking nervous before he realized what she was doing.

_‘I would have preferred it if you had let me know you had this ability, too.’_

_‘Where’s the fun in that? I have the Minister’s party tonight that I should probably go to, despite however much I don’t want to. Since I haven’t seen you, and I can’t go to it alone, I thought I should ask you first before I threw in the towel and made up an excuse.’_

_‘Why can’t you go alone? It’s not like I would enjoy something like that, either.’_

_‘Because to upper class parties such as this one, you need to bring a date.’_ Realizing what she blurted out accidentally, she quickly followed up by saying,  _‘So I thought we could go together as apprentice and master.’_

        There was a long pause as she laid in her bed, waiting for a response.  _‘If you have no one else in your life, I suppose I could go...but this is only to repay you for the gift, that’s all.’_

        Alice smiled and laughed happily, telling him the details to her address so he could meet her there, and then they could go to the party from there. She walked around her large home with a skip in her step as she got ready for the night.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        The door bell had rung, and Alice was able to make a sound of it from her room. Oh dear, he was there. She picked up the wine glass that was on her night table, and laced her black scarf around her back and into the folds on her elbows to hold it. She grabbed her black clutch that contained a few touch ups, and her wand, and opened the black door of her room.

        “Ms. Crimson,” Her maid called, “Professor Severus Snape has arrived.”

        Almost annoyed, as she knew no one else would have came at this hour unannounced, she rolled her eyes and said, “Yes, yes, I’m coming down.” She took another small sip of her red wine and took it in her free hand and made her way downstairs.

        Her heart was beating rapidly as her heels echoed in her home, not being in view where she could see Severus or vice versa. But she stopped at the top of her marble stairs and found him waiting in the large foyer of her home. Once he found where the sound of her last heel clacked, they locked eyes, and very warmly, Alice smiled down at him. She continued walking, now that they found each other, and looked down at the floor as she did. Once Alice made it down, Snape was truly able to see how she was dressed for tonight.

        Alice was wearing an a-lined tea length deep green dress, her hair up in an elegant bun, clipped into place with a black gemstone hair piece. She wore the same heels as the ones during the winter ball, with her scarf loose around her back, a matching clutch in hand, and a glass filled with red wine. She was absolutely gorgeous, and even Severus couldn’t take his eyes off of her. Before he could even say anything, she came a disclaimer.

        “Now, before you start scolding me about having such  _an adult drink_ , but I grew up in France, where we drink at a young age, and I’ll be turning eighteen in April. So don’t even start.” She smiled at him, and he returned it with a very small smile, his hands behind his back. “It’s been a while, Professor.”

        Alice approached him to come even closer, dismissing her servants with a shooing motion of her hand. “Indeed it has been, Ms. Crimson.” He replied, looking down at her small figure. “Shall we go?” He asked.

        “Oh in just a moment, let me finish this.” She responded, referring to the wine as she began to make her way towards the family room of the house. “Oh do please come in, or take a look around, whichever you prefer!” She called back to him.

        Needing time from her radiating beauty, he decided to do the ladder of her offer. He walked around, peeking into various rooms in the giant building her had for a home. He walked upstairs and found closed doors on each side of the hallway. The first five doors he opened were all vacant guest rooms, that were cold from no one inhabiting them. Then we he tried to turn the knob to open the second door, she startled him.

        “Tsk tsk tsk tsk. Don’t you know better than to go into a woman’s room?” She teased, leaning against the wall behind her and watching him.

        Snape turned around, surprised that he couldn’t hear her coming, and saw that she had kicked off her heels before coming to follow him. She was three inches shorter now, and he guessed her to be around 5’4, 5’5 maybe. “Perhaps I should properly show you around? I’m not a good hostess if I don’t.”  

        Alice stepped in front of him and opened the door he was about to look inside of, and let him inside, causing Severus to hesitantly enter. It was her bedroom, after all. Inside laid a giant bedroom, with various things all either red, black, or green. All of her furniture and knick knacks with that of the Victorian era, as he was reminded that she mentioned being fond of that time period. Everything was chosen by her, he assumed, by all of it was a rather mature and older taste on her part, and he admired it.

        “And exactly how much did your parents make?” He asked, looking around at her luxurious room.

        “If I told you the number, you would faint, let’s put it at that. But, I don’t for a single second take anything I own for granted.” That caught his attention, as he grew up in the opposite lifestyle. “Growing up, my parents made me work for everything I have now, I wasn’t just given it as a child. I had to be well behaved, or do chores, or be at the top of my classes. Only then did I receive all of this. Now that they’ve past, I can indeed buy whatever my heart desires, but it was for a big price.” Her face went grim, the more she went on, as the memories of her childhood played inside her head.

        Alice snapped out of it, and put on a smile for him, as no one knew of her past, as she was quite secretive about it, and no one knew anything, except Severus and the Headmaster knowing of the passing of her parents many many years ago. Oh, how there were so many secrets behind that face.

        “Come, come!” She said with a perky tone of voice, taking the last sip of her wine. “This drink as calmed my nerves and now I’m ready to face everyone.” She placed her glass on her nightstand. “Ready?” She asked him, holding out her hand, palm down, for him to take.

        Severus nodded, but looked at her hand briefly before realizing what she was insinuating. They were going to Apparate there. Almost like a shy little boy, he took her hand in his, and Apparated together, arriving at the front of the Minister’s home.

        It was slightly bigger than Alice’s, but had less land behind it, as Alice owned about 300 acres around her estate. People were still entering the grand and lively home, people chatting about at the entrance. Alice kept her hand in his for a brief moment, enjoying the connection as she gathered herself together. She was nervous.

        “What’s the matter? Your face in tensed.” Commented Severus.

        Smiling bitterly to herself, Alice answered, “I know that I seem to do well in conversation with others but...I don’t. I don’t like talking to people, and I’m not very good at engaging in it either. People...make me nervous.”

        Severus looked down at her by his side, surprised that the rather cocky girl who stood next to him had social anxiety. He decided to log it away for later, and she pulled out a vial from her black clutch, and taking the potion down her throat.

        “Draught of Peace, it seems I’m more nervous than usual.” She answered the obvious question that was displayed on his face. Alice began to walk towards the giant building, and Snape followed. It certainly made her feel better that he was there with her. He was one of the select people she wasn’t anxious around. He placed his hands behind his back as he escorted her around.

        It was quite a lively party, with many higher ups in the Ministry in attendance. In fact, Alice and Snape were the only ones who didn’t work for the government of their magical world. Everyone there knew Alice, and greeted her like an old friend. All the fathers tried setting her up with their sons, but Alice kindly rejected all of their offers.

        Snape watched everything go down silently, not adding to any of the conversations she partook in, only saying hello if people questioned Crimson about him.

        “Oh, this is Professor Severus Snape of Hogwarts. He is the potions master there, and the Head of my House, Slytherin.” She added in the pride of her house, as she just couldn’t help herself showing her green pride off. “And he’s my tutor.” She added. People could feel the dark aura buzzing off of him, so no one ever really bothered with him, which he very much preferred. He actually liked to watch Alice talk to everyone.

        He once again added another trait of her character that was like him: Good at hiding things. The fact that she was nervous before entering the big mansion, but is now able to talk and make it appear as though she was an extrovert instead, impressed Severus. Being in her presence actually calmed him for once, and he noticed that he was not as tense when near her. She drank champagne and happily faked a laugh at their terrible jokes. But the more the night went on with conversations, the more she drank.

        “It’s rather hot in here all of a sudden, I need some air.” She commented, making her way further into the mansion. She knew the layout, as her family also visited the Minister on a number of dates in the past. She made a turn to the left and walked down the hallway, beckoning for Snape to come with her. He followed, still not saying anything, but noticed that her line of walk was slightly staggered, and decided to walk up next to her, and offer his arm without looking at her. “What?”

        “You’re getting off balance from that drink in your veins. I can’t have you falling, I’ll look like a bad escort.” He replied, his voice trying it’s best to remain neutral. She only laughed, and hooked her arm around his, almost a little too happy about it.

        “Oh Professor, you take too good a care of me!” She exclaimed loudly, leaning against him for balance as they made their way to a balcony of the study. Once there, she sighed in relief of the cold air against her face. It wasn’t snowing that night, and it was warmer than usual for midwinter England. Alice breathed in again, with a smile, and turned towards Severus. “Thank you for obliging my request once again.”

        “As I previously stated, it’s only as repayment for your gift.”

        “Oh yes, speaking of that, do you like it? I hope it fits your likings. I tried to imagine you as a quill when I bought it. Dark, but intriguing, and a simple exterior. Though I’m sure you’re anything but.”

        “Meaning?” He asked, and she rested the glass on the stone edge of the outside space, and placed her elbows on it, resting her face in her fists.

        “People like us, who have a hard exterior, it means something happened to us that made us so defensive. Anyone with that sort of past would be difficult and complicated.” She replied honestly, hiccupping, her cheeks hot. Oh dear, she was drunk. “But I love men like that. Tough to figure out, a puzzle. Dark and mysterious. Hey! Just like you Professor!” She laughed and clapped her hands a few times at her slow conclusion.

        Severus could now tell, she was most definitely drunk. He didn’t know what to do with his drunk student, and sort of stood there, confused. But she chose to act before he had time to finish his thoughts.

        “What kind of woman do you like, Professor?” She asked, turning her body towards him, her jaw in her fist, as the other hand played with her brown hair.

        “I never really thought about it.” He replied flatly. Lies. He couldn’t get Alice off his mind during the break, and he didn’t know why completely, only that he was attracted to her, but only thought it was because she was the only female to over open up to him since his childhood.

        “Really? I just can’t believe that to be the truth. I mean…” She stood up and walked towards him, wrapping her hands around his neck, hiccuping again. “I feel as though every man, no, every person on this Earth has desires. And even if they aren’t scandalous, everyone still yearns to be connected with another human being, emotionally.”

        Severus wasn’t even completely listening to her words, as he was frozen in place from the sudden move she made. She was close to him again, just like the night they danced in his room, but Alice was even closer than back then. She was pressing her body fully against Snape’s frame.

        “I’ve never really been close to anyone...my heart...it feels so empty..” She muttered on, and rested her small head on his chest, not even thinking about her actions in her dazed state of drunkenness. She was sobbing quietly, letting herself be open with him. But this time, her words got through to him. She was lonely, so so lonely. She wanted to be cared for, she wanted to be protected. To be loved. This poor child, Severus thought. Without really thinking, his body moved on it’s own, as his emotions took the reigns. He wrapped one hand around her waist, and placed the other on top of her head, petting it slowly in long strokes. He felt so terrible for her, as her feelings resonated with him. He remembered his own past, and how he never got the chance to be a child, how he had to act like an adult so early on. It was an emptying feeling. A forever lost gap in both of their lives. It was lonely.

        “It’s alright…” He whispered to her, being her anchor for now. “You are cared for now…” Before he could even realized what he had meant by those words, one thing was clear to him. Whether he liked her romantically or not, she had rubbed off on him, and she was most certainly cared for by the potions teacher. As an ally, and as a friend.

        They stayed together like that for what felt like an hour, as Alice slowly calmed down and wiped away her tears. She moved her head so she was looking up at him, and her chin was rested on his chest. “Why must you confuse my feelings even more now? I mean, I was already uncertain how I felt about you before all of this…” A drunken confession. Perfect.

        What the bloody hell was she saying. Severus let a complete look of shock go across his face, this time not trying to hide it.

        “Crimson, do you even know what you’re saying right now?” He demanded, his voice shaking with confusion and hesitancy.

        “Too soon? Sorry, I’m attracted to men who are older than me, I can’t really help it.” She giggled. Alice was completely unaware of what she was spilling out from the depths of her mind.

        Severus’ mouth opened partly in utter shock. This was most definitely a confession. But he didn’t find himself pushing her away and scolding her for being inappropriate, but found a feeling spreading through his chest. Was this...relief? From what? Oh my, it had finally hit him. He was indeed interested in her romantically. Before he could think or say anything more, she grew limp in his arms. Alice had passed out. Groaning in frustration for her terrible timing, he picked her up into his arms, bride style, and placed her clutch into his jacket.

        “You are the worst…” He muttered, before transforming into a black shadow and flying off with Alice in secret, heading back to her own manor.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        Not too long later, Severus entered her home, still carrying her, and walked up the stairs to her bedroom, placing her on her bed. Her maid was quietly scurrying behind him, and whispered once he put her down. “Please don’t tell me she got drunk once again.”

        “This is a normal occurrence?” Snape inquired, his voice quiet and low, but not in a whisper.

        “Ms. Crimson only ever drinks in excess when she recalls her childhood and various memories. The poor girl lost her parents so young, and no one really knows what happened to them.” Confessed the worried maid, taking her belongings from the Professor, and putting it on her nightstand, where the wine glass was no longer on top of. “I do apologize on her behalf if she did anything rash, and the trouble she caused you. Thank you for bringing her back.” The maid continued, looking through Alice’s walk in closet, pulling out her favorite black silk nightgown.

        “No need.” He replied in a hushed voice, watching Alice sleep peacefully for a second time. His thoughts lingered over to her confession, and wondered what he should do from this point.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

        It was a few days until classes would resume at Hogwarts, and Severus was working out the details of his teaching plan, sitting at his desk when he received an unexpected knock at his door. Sighing in frustration of being interrupted by someone, he said. “Come in.”

        In came the Headmaster, who sat himself down in front of the potions teacher with a twinkle in his eye. “I just heard something interesting.”

        “And?” Asked Severus, annoyed as he wondered what this had to do with him.

        “Yes, it was about you...and Ms. Alice Crimson.” He continued. Severus visibly tensed up at the sentence. “I was told by a friend of mine that you attended the Minister’s holiday party during our school break, with none other than Alice.” Dumbledore was enjoying every second of this, as he teased and tortured the dark teacher before him. “Apparently you were escorting her, as they were informed by her, yes? As her...teacher?” Oh, he was very much enjoying this,

        “Is there anything wrong with that?” Snape asked in return, his tone dangerously defensive. The Headmaster only gave Severus a small smile, as his expression read,  _‘Yes,_ only _as her teacher.’_  Even though he was trying his best to reject the old man’s obvious assumption, Dumbledore didn’t listen to the silent exchange between them via their expressions. He eyed the new quill that Severus held, and came to the correct conclusion that Alice had also given him that. Instead he only giggled, stood up, and left, laughing quietly the entire way, until Snape couldn’t hear him anymore.

        Despite the apparent teasing he had just received, was this...the Headmaster’s way of giving his approval of such a possible future relationship? Severus sat there, stunned, and dropped his new quill from his hand, it falling a inch to his desk.


	8. Don't Apologize For Your Feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So I realized that I didn't depict that there are spiral stairs from his classroom and further down in the castle before you reached his office. I will be going back in my chapters later on to fill in that detail. And that his storeroom is actually in a hallway, but I'm just going to change that one to it being connected to his office because a previous scene rides on the two rooms being close so ugh. I do apologize for my late realization of this detail. PLEASE ALSO COMMENT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT SMUT AND HOW I SHOULD GO ABOUT IT TO MAKE EVERYONE COMFORTABLE. Enjoy!

                Alice woke up, glad that her curtains were heavy and pitch black, and didn’t let a single ray of sun inside her chambers. She laid there on her side, grabbing her knees to her chest, groaning in pain. Her head felt as though it was splitting in half down the middle of her skull, and her stomach was doing summersaults. She groaned in pain as she tried her very best to recall the events of last night, but after entering the Minister’s home and chatting, things became a blur. Dammit, she had drank because of her past once again. What’s worse, is that Professor Snape was there.

                “SNAPE!” She yelled in remembrance that he was around her when her memories went hazy. Alice stepped out of bed, and slammed her door open with a vengeance. “DELILAH.” She demanded, screaming out for her maid, who came running up the stairs before bowing respectfully.

                “Y-Yes, Ms. Crimson?” Asked the woman who was older than her, almost afraid, wondering if she had done anything to receive Alice’s temper.

                “Snape! What did he say? Did he tell you how I acted? Did I say something revealing? Which one of my drunks was I? The sad one? The angry one? The overly flirtatious? Silent? What?! What did he say?” Alice spoke quickly and in haste, terrified of all the possibilities that could have occurred when her mind was absent. She prayed to Merlin that she didn’t do anything embarrassing, or worse, confess. Oh bloody hell, if she confessed, Alice would regret it forever, she wasn’t ready.

                Once the woman realized the reason for Alice’s sudden urgency, she breathed a sigh of relief, but still knew to be careful around her mistress in the mornings. “He actually didn’t say much, actually, Ms. Crimson. He only asked if this was a normal thing that happened in your life, and that I did not need to apologize on your behalf. Then he just left.”

                Alice immediately glared at Delilah. “What did you say.” She didn’t even ask, only demanded.

                “I-I told him you only ever drink when remembering your past or childhood…” Delilah’s voice faltered as she realized her mistake as she was saying it.

                Rage filled Alice’s expression, now understanding what it was that Snape knew, and just how much she didn’t know. Gaps from the party filled her mind as she tried with every ounce of energy she still had to fill them in.

                “You...told him that?...” Alice muttered, facing the floor as she processed all of this. Wonderful, now he must think she’s a drunk, and that she only ever drinks to forget, and that she drinks all the time. “Great, just great.” She sighed. “Get me some tea and some medicine.” She ordered.

                “Right away, ma’am!” Said Delilah, happy to put distance between herself and her mistress.

                “I just have a feeling that I ruined everything…” Muttered Alice grumpily, going back into her dark cave she called a bedroom.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

                It was the day before classes resumed, and Alice with the rest of the students, came back with their belongings and supplies, and got ready for their school year to continue. Alice was unhappy with the fact that she would have to wake up early every day once again, but Melissa was a nice perk to the transition. Melissa chatted away about her break as Alice unpacked all of her things, organizing them neatly as she listened. Her friend went on and on about what sort of things she did while she was gone, what she got for Christmas, and complained about her nagging parents.

                “Anyways, what did you do for your holidays? What did you get?” Asked Melissa.

                “I actually...didn’t get anything.” Replied Alice, with no traceable tone of sadness in her voice. Her years after her parents’ passings were lonely, but she had grown accustomed to it, and even fond of the silence.

                “What?! Why?” Asked Melissa, obviously oblivious to the possible reasons.

                “Because I don’t have any family. My parents died mysteriously when I was seven, and I never knew any extended family. Please, don’t grow sad for me, it was ten years ago and I didn’t have the best relationship with them, so it wasn’t too disheartening.” Alice turned around, finishing her unpacking and sliding her luggage under her bed. Standing, she looked at Melissa, who was of course stunned, but Crimson only smiled.

                “A-Alice I’m so sorry, I asked without even considering…” Melissa trailed off, looking at her hands in her lap, only making her friend giggle.

                “Don’t apologize, I knew you were oblivious when I first met you.” She responded casually, making her way out the door.

                “Hey!” Melissa called out after her, offended, but it just made Alice laugh again.

                Alice made her way out of the Common Room, and with a short walk, was in front of Snape’s classroom door. She hesitated in front of it before knocking, but before she fully raised her arm to do so, the door unlock and she heard a familiar voice inside.

                “Come in, Ms. Crimson.”

                Alice crept inside slowly, seeing Snape in front of his desk with his back facing her. She noted that for Snape, this was a small sign of trust, and couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

                “I came here to apologize, Professor, and to thank you.” Her voice was soft, but slightly nervous, she couldn’t deny.

                “For?” He asked, his low voice sending a spark through her spine. Oh dear, she was truly growing attracted to his deep voice.

                “For causing you any trouble that might of happened that night of the party, and for taking me home when I collapsed. I must admit, I don’t remember much...just what exactly did I do that night?” She asked, hoping that he would fill in the blanks that have been on her mind for her.

                Snape’s ears perked up at the fact that she didn’t remember everything she had done, and what he had done in return. He contemplated on whether or not he should tell her the truth of what occurred that night, or if he should tell a lie since he wasn’t ready to face her about her confession quite yet. “You merely grew quiet and recluse.”

                Alice breathed a heavy sigh of relief at his answer, clutching her chest as she did.  _‘Oh thank goodness.’_  Then, a sudden question entered her head. “How did you get me back home, exactly?”

                Oh dear, he couldn’t tell her the truth, that he was able to fly without a broomstick. The only other person who had that capability was the Dark Lord himself, and he knew with Alice’s smarts, she would grow suspicious and be able to put the pieces together. He needed to come up with something. “I merely Apparated.”

                Alice frowned at his answer, confused by the logic of it. “But if I was unconscious during the transportation, I could have been harmed.”

                “Do you dare question my capabilities?” He asked, his voice becoming rough with offense. She wasn’t fully satisfied with this answer, but she took it and decided to not push it any further.

                “Okay...well, that’s all I came for, so thank you for clearing things up for me. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon for potions. Salut!” She said, making her way for the door and saying bye to Severus in French. Thank goodness, he didn’t know her secret admiration for him, or so she thought.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

                Classes had resumed once again, and although it was only the second day back since their vacation, Alice realized that she had less and less of a reason to get out of bed anymore. She grew tired of showing off whenever her Professors requested it, and now found every aspect of her life rather boring. She wasn’t learning anything new, and Severus didn’t speak of resuming their tutoring lessons, and never requested her to his office, so she assumed he wasn’t teaching her anymore or at least for the time being. She was beginning to boil more and more of every second that went by where she was not engaged in her classes.

                Eventually, that bubble popped. Her classmates were learning how to brew the liquid luck potion, and Alice was dying more and more of every second, and she had finally had enough. She slammed her hands against her table and stood up abruptly, fuming in frustration. Everyone stared at her from the out of the blue display from the usually calm Slytherin, but it was anything but random for Alice.

                “That’s it!” She yelled out, leaving all her belongings behind as she made her way around her desk and passed everyone else’s. She made her way towards the door, leaving Snape silent and stunned, but not that he showed it in front of all the students. She opened the door and slammed it closed behind her, stomping away. Everyone was absolutely baffled, including Melissa, who couldn’t recall any specific event that could have made Alice this angry. But that was the problem in itself: Nothing  _was_ happening.

                Alice stomped her entire way until she was standing in front of the Griffin statue once again, and hissed at it as though it had done something to her.

                “Lemon Drop!”

                Filch was behind her, petting his beloved cat Mrs. Norris. “Having a bad day, aren’t we now, Crimson? You better go back to class before Dumbledore let’s me punish you instead of Snape.” He threatened, his eyes glowing at all the terrible things he could do to the seemingly frail female student in front of him.

                Alice whipped her head around, and thought to herself,  _‘He picked the wrong day to threaten someone like me.’_  “Say something like that to me one more time, and you can kiss your bloody cat goodbye. I’m not afraid to use Unforgivable Curses, you  _squib._ Yeah, I know your shameful secret since the first day I met you. So…” Alice turned her eyes on the feline he held. “ _Beat it.”_ She spoke dangerously, her eyes flashing brighter than ever in the midst of her temper. Absolutely shocked at the stops she pulled, Filch wasted no time getting away from her, scurrying away. She turned back around, her wand in her dominant left hand, and stomped her way up the stone steps and barged into the Headmaster’s office.

                Albus was currently speaking to Minerva McGonagall, but she didn’t care and slammed her hands again, but this time on his desk. Her eyes were still red, “Let me graduate early.” She demanded.

                “It’s nice to see you too, Alice. How was your break during this winter?” He asked casually and calm, the very opposite of her hot temper.

                “Give me anything you got. I can pass anything the seventh years are learning with flying colors. Give me an opponent! Duel me yourself! I don’t care, I know I would last longer than anyone else my age against you. What I’m saying is that I’m not learning anything new, everything I want to study is unfortunately forbidden here, and I’m bored out of my mind here. Let me graduate early.”

                Minerva stood there, shocked before giving Crimson a disapproving look at the uncharacteristic lack of manners. Her eyes were a bright blood red as she stared down at the elder man before her. Dumbledore wasn’t shocked like the average person, and instead remained calm. He gestured for her to sit silently, and Alice obliged, slowly calming down, her eyes returning to the light brown they usually are.

                “And what would you do with this sudden amount of free time on your hands, Alice?”

                She didn’t have an answer for him, and realized she didn’t have a game plan either, had he accept her request to finish early. Her hostility immediately disappeared, and she looked at her wand, as if she had never inspected every millimeter of it. “I-I...don’t know.” Alice responded honestly, and he appreciated it.

                “I heard from a dear friend that you and Severus were together over the holiday.” He said, once again milking the knowledge he had to tease the both of them. Alice immediately looked up at the man with the crescent shaped glasses, her eyes wide. Of course he had connections and allies within the Ministry, she shouldn’t be shocked that he found out. Regaining her composure, she nodded confidently. Minerva, on the other hand, stood there, flabbergasted with her jaw dropped and her mouth open. “It’s good that he finally found another  _friend…_ ” He emphasized the final word, so that she knew he speculated something deeper, making Alice nervous. “And she shouldn’t be taken away from him, he needs all the social interaction he can get. How would you like to stay here and work for us at Hogwarts? As Professor Snape’s apprentice.”

                Alice’s eyes sparkled with great interest and a sudden excitement, her cheeks turning pink. But Minerva finally interjected, “Do you really think that he would accept help?”

                “Not from just anyone, no. But as I stated, it seems Severus has taken a liking to Alice. Perhaps it’s because of just how similar they are.” Explained Dumbledore.

                “I’d love to.” She said, not listening to the words they exchanged, and was instead thinking of how she could be even closer to her new found crush. “When can I start?”

                “How about tomorrow?” He said, smiling at her enthusiasm.

                “Tomorrow? Albus, she needs time to move into her new quarters and prepare.”

                “Time? Ha! I’ll be done in three hours time.” Replied Alice, a new skip in her step as she walked out. “You won’t regret this, Headmaster.”

                Dumbledore watched her leave as a now happy girl, giggling once again to himself. “I’m sure I won’t. I think watching Severus be romantically involved with someone will be my new source of entertainment.”

                “Oh! You have far too much time on your hands, Albus.” Scolded Minerva.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

                Classes were over by the time Alice finished her conversation with Dumbledore, and only a few students crowded the halls as she made her way to the dungeons, and to the classroom she previously stormed out of. Without knocking, she peeked her head inside the room and saw the dark man scolding a poor Hufflepuff girl.

                “Professor, please come with me.” She requested.

                “What for?” He asked through his teeth, projecting his frustration with the girl onto Alice.

                She smiled mischievously. “I have important news for you sir, it’s urgent.”

                He almost looked as though he was going to growl in annoyance, and glared back at the Hufflepuff. “Consider yourself saved by Ms. Crimson there. Now, get. Out.” He hissed, causing the poor girl to literally run out of the room and past Alice.

                “This better be good, Crimson.” Fumed Snape, causing her to smirk again.

                Alice led him to a hallway where there was no students, near where the daughter of Rowena Ravenclaw’s daughter’s ghost lingered around. Once she was certain they were alone, she finally stopped walking and turned around to Severus with a wide smile.

                “Guess who has just been appointed as your apprentice?” She asked, making it obvious that it was her who received the job. She caught him off guard, and he took a step back.

                “What? Dumbledore assigned you? But you’re still a student.” He protested. It wasn’t that he didn’t want her to be his assistance, it meant that they could be alone together without anyone drawing suspicions, but he was confused. Snape didn’t have all the details.

                “I left your room angry because I wasn’t learning anything new, and I felt as though I was wasting my time, time that could be spent better. So I went into his office after having a run in with Filch, and demanded for him to throw any test he wanted at me, but that I wanted to graduate early. He said he noticed you actually got along with someone for once, that someone being me, and that’s when he offered me the position.” She explained, using her hands and waved them around, thrilled.

 _‘Oh, it’s much more than get along.’_ “When do you start?” He asked, trying to remain calm.

                “So you accept? You won’t try to get rid of me?” She asked, smirking at him again as she teased him. As she spoke, she climbed up the ledge of the hallway that had no window, and looked down at how high up she was.

                He took a moment and looked away before muttering, “No…”

                Alice turned towards him and smiled, “Good, because I’m always going to stay by your side, whether you want me or not.” She leaned backwards and let her toes lift off the edge, and fell backwards. She fell.

                In the shock of the moment, he thought she was committing suicide, and he just  _could not_ have that happen.

                “Alice!!” He raced for the edge and looked over it, but he didn’t need to look down. She had black smoke and shadows swarming around her, and flew without...a broomstick. How did she know how to do that? Only He Who Shall Not Be Named knew that ability, besides Snape himself. She rose to his eye level and floated idly and spoke quietly.

                “I finally got you to call me by my first name…” She giggled, touched that he showed her cared for her in that moment, and flew off at a rapid pace, laughing with excitement with the sudden change of life for her.

                Snape stood there, his hands on the cold and rough stone, watching her slowly leave from his sight. He had said her name. And she caught it. Moreover, she knew he cared, and this time could remember it because she wasn’t drunk. Dammit, she got him. But was concerned him was the fact that she knew that ability, and the fact that it could mean she was once connected with the Dark Lord before his fall. He just couldn’t let her be around someone so dangerous, someone who would kill her within an instant without a second thought. He awaited for her return back.

 

⠠⠸⠈⠞⠻

 

                Alice had returned later that night, this time with her furniture from her home, as she had made duplicates. She didn’t like change, and that included her scenery. She used her wand to unshrink all of her belongings, which she had done so she only had to make one trip. Using the engorgio charm, she returned all of her items to their normal sizes. She requested a private room that was on the ground level or above, so she could have a window of sunlight when she wanted it.

                She placed her black Victorian bed frame facing the window, and fixed the wrinkles in her blood red sheets before laying her black duvet on top and matching foam pillows. Sitting on her bed, she used her magic to do the rest on her checklist. She made her clothing float into her deep red closet, and placed her shoes at the bottom of it, too. Humming, she let the books follow and float onto her large bookshelf that covered the entire wall to the right of her bed. She set up her black vanity to the left of her bed, and to the left of her tall closet. To the right of the closet, she placed her desk square in the corner, placing her parchment paper, ink pots, and her quills in their holders on top of it. Everything was complete, and she was satisfied. Alice was also over the moon about the fact that she no longer had to share a space with roommates.

                Dumbledore knocked on her door before opening it and entering, observing what she had done with the place. A very mature sense of taste, he thought. “How are you adjusting, Alice?”

                “Quite well, Headmaster, I must admit.” She said, standing from her bed and once again with a large smile on her lips.

                “It’s funny, usually people would rather hide than be around Severus.” He commented once again, obviously happy with the fact that he knew how both parties felt about each other, but they themselves did not. After taking another glance around, he also noticed that she had changed from her Slytherin house robes. In fact, her uniform entirely. She was wearing a long black dress with lace trimmings and long sleeves, the same dress she wore when she went out to Hogsmeade during her winter break. Along with heeled boots, too, of course. With a smile and nod, he made his way out.

                Not too long after, Snape came busting in, knocking only briefly before opening the door, not waiting for an approval for his entrance. Without thinking, he pinned her against the wall, on the right side of her bed. Both of his arms were on either side of her head as he leaned down and closer to her face.

                “Where did you learn that?” He demanded.

                “Learn what?” She asked in return, confused from the sudden interrogation he pushed onto her. But she couldn’t lie, she liked how dominate he was being, and how close he was to her.

                “To fly! Without a broomstick!” He raised his voice at her, but never yelled.

                Alice realized her mistake. She had used an ability that she wasn’t supposed to know. Something that no one should have known about her. She lied, “My father taught me, he was the reason why I grew fascinated with the Dark Arts.”

                He had guessed that her father must have been close with the Dark Lord, and just passed it down to his talented daughter. He believed this because during his previous reign, Snape was not yet a higher up in the Death Eater ranks. Accepting her explanation, he lifted his hands off of the wall on both sides of her, straightening himself up. He tried to calm himself, but Alice was also a witty one, and she decided to pin it against him.

                “Why are you getting worked up that I know something like that? What is it that you know about it?” She asked, in hopes of deflecting her truth.

                “I...can’t say.” He mumbled back. Getting defensive, he snapped back at her. “Why did you even accept his offer of this position? No one else in their right mind would have said yes to spending time with me.”

                “I...I chose to accept it because I didn’t want to leave Hogwarts! It’s a wonderful place, and I didn’t want to go. Is that such a crime, Professor?”

                Severus couldn’t take this anymore, and couldn’t trust the words she was currently speaking to him. In the spur of the moment, he pointed his wand at her and said, “Legilimens!”

                Without wasting a moment, Alice too pointed her wand at him, and just as he casted it, she yelled back, “Protego!” She had deflected his attempt and instead it went at himself, letting her access some parts of his memories.

                Memories of his childhood, being constantly teased and taunted by Potter and his gang of friends, every single day, flashed quickly before her eyes. Then they jumped to the night of the holiday party that the two of them went to.

_“What kind of woman do you like, Professor?”_

_“I never really thought about it.”_

_“I feel as though every man, no, every person on this Earth has desires. And even if they aren’t scandalous, everyone still yearns to be connected with another human being, emotionally.”_

_“I’ve never really been close to anyone...my heart...it feels so empty..” She muttered on, and rested her small head on his chest, not even thinking about her actions in her dazed state of drunkenness. She was sobbing quietly, letting herself be open with him. He wrapped one hand around her waist, and placed the other on top of her head, petting it slowly in long strokes. He felt so terrible for her, as her feelings resonated with him. He remembered his own past, and how he never got the chance to be a child, how he had to act like an adult so early on. It was an emptying feeling. A forever lost gap in both of their lives. It was lonely._

_“It’s alright…” He whispered to her, being her anchor for now. “You are cared for…”_

                Severus managed to push her out of his mind before she was able to see more, “Enough!” He barked.

                Alice stood there, gasping for air from the sudden wave of emotions she felt through him. But moreover, she found out the truth of what happened that night that she couldn’t remember. She lowered her head and looked at the ground below her feet and turned away from him, letting them stay like that in silence. Tears of shame and guilt welled up in her eyes, and threatened to spill over her lashes and onto her cheeks. Alice assumed he only showed her that kind of affection because she was drunk and being a nuisance. That of course, was just her take on it. Snape himself only stood there, surprised she was fast enough to deflect his attack, and shocked of the things she saw in his mind.

                “I’m sorry that I was a nuisance to you that night.” She choked out, her voice wanting to crack from the frog in her throat. He looked at her back, as she didn’t turn to face him. “That was inappropriate of me, and I apologize. I promise that from henceforth I will keep a professional distance from you. I hope you can eventually forgive me.” In the middle of her last sentence, she made her way to her bedroom door.

                Before her hand reached the knob, he grabbed that wrist and pulled her back to face him, so that she couldn’t leave. Severus was able to see her face, and he saw her watery eyes as she stared right back at him, full of shame and embarrassment. Seeing her like that broke his heart, and he wanted to make her tears away. His feelings of this took over, and he move his hand from her wrist, and instead took her chin and tilted it back, colliding his lips with hers.

                Alice was stunned in her position, her eyes wide at first from the sudden kiss, but they slowly fluttered closed as she took a deep sigh of, relief? After sparks flew left and right from his gentle and sweet kiss, Severus pulled his face away from hers and spoke quietly. “You don’t need to apologize for your feelings, you never do with me.”

                Her tears fell and rolled down her cheeks, but they were no longer tears of shame, but of extreme happiness and pure relief, that he too, felt the same way that she did towards him. They liked each other. And she was so happy that someone as cut off as Snape had returned her affection.

                She smiled up at him and whispered, “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck once again, and decided this time she was going to kiss him, but far more passionate and aggressive. All of her pent up feelings for the potions teacher came flowing out with each kiss they shared, Snape wrapping his arms around her waist, embracing her. Even if this was not how she intended to confess her feelings for him, she was still the happiest person alive in that very moment.


End file.
